Trump may visit India for Quad summit, hints envoy nominee
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump may visit India later this year for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) Leaders Summit, his ambassador nominee to India, Sergio Gor, hinted at a Senate confirmation hearing. Gor, who is a close aide to Trump, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that "the President is fully committed to meeting leaders of Quad." He added that there have already been discussions about a trip for the next Quad meeting.
Summit importance
Gor's remarks amid Trump's canceled India trip reports
While he declined to disclose exact dates, Gor emphasized the significance of the Quad, stating it is "very important for the US." His statement comes after The New York Times reported that Trump had canceled his plans to visit India for the summit. However, Gor's remarks suggest that discussions are still ongoing for Trump's visit. The summit, scheduled for November in New Delhi, will see leaders from Australia, Japan, and the US come together to discuss key geopolitical issues.
Diplomatic ties
Gor emphasizes strong US-India ties
At the hearing, Gor also spoke about the deep friendship between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, despite some trade tensions. He said, "Our president (Trump) has a deep friendship with Modi. That is something that is unique." The ambassador nominee stressed that India is one of America's most important relationships globally, adding that "despite a little hiccup on tariffs," US-India relations are stronger than ever.
Military exercises
Joint military exercises in Alaska as a testament to ties
Gor pointed to joint military exercises in Alaska as a sign of strong US-India ties. In what appears to be a slight thaw in US-India ties, President Trump announced recently that trade talks between the two nations were still ongoing and that he was "looking forward to speaking with my very good friend Modi" very soon. In response to Trump's post on Truth Social, Modi wrote on X, "I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump."