NEW INDIA-US BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER

With Trump's aide Sergio Gor taking oath as American ambassador to India, the two sides have an opportunity to clear the air and build economic alignment as a pillar of strategic trust

- SHASHI THAROOR

Na world increasingly defined by fragmentation and flux, the relationship between India and the US remains one of the few partnerships with the potential to shape a more stable, democratic, and innovative global order: The recent confirmation of a new US ambassador to India—a close aide of Donald Trump, albeit with no prior diplomatic or India experience, Sergio Gor—signals Washington’s intent to reinvigorate ties with New Delhi at a time when both countries face shared challenges and converging opportunities.

President Trump’s recent remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him “a strong leader and a great friend”, mark a notable shift in tone from earlier weeks of undiplomatic statements and social media posts. While recent frictions over tariffs and trade imbalances have strained the relationship, the current moment appears to offer a chance to reset. Encouraging signs point to the possibility of anew bilateral trade deal, which could unlock growth, investment, and innovation across sectors ranging from pharmaceuticals and semiconductors to clean energy and artificial intelligence.

But to seize this moment, both sides must confront and clarify the geopolitical realities that shape their choices. At one time, both Washington and New Delhi saw the spectre of Chinese assertiveness looming large—from the Himalayas to South China Sea, from cyber intrusions to supply chain dependencies—and made common cause in recognising the need to constrain it. But after the recent ‘G2 Summit’ in Busan, there is renewed confusion about whether the US still sees China as a strategic competitor and global rival, or whether we are witnessing the dawning of a cooperative condominium arrangement between the two great powers of our times.