Washington, Sept 11: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday described India as “one of the top relationships that the US has in the world today” during the Senate confirmation hearing for Sergio Gor, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the post of US Ambassador to India.
Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio underscored India’s pivotal role in shaping the evolving global order, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, where strategic rivalries and alliances are redefining geopolitics. “In the 21st century, the story is going to be written in the Indo-Pacific… and India is at the core of that,” he asserted.
Rubio noted that India and the US are in the midst of an “extraordinary transition” in their partnership, one shaped not just by trade and defense but also by converging responses to major international challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine war, China’s expanding regional influence, and issues of maritime security.
Lending his strong endorsement to Trump’s nominee, Rubio praised Gor as a well-connected, results-driven figure with direct access to the President. “He is uniquely positioned to strengthen bilateral ties and to get things done,” Rubio said.
At 38, Gor currently serves as the Director of Presidential Personnel in the White House and, if confirmed, will become the youngest US Ambassador ever to be posted in New Delhi. His nomination, analysts note, reflects the Trump administration’s growing emphasis on deepening strategic ties with India as a counterweight to China and as a partner in advancing economic resilience in the Indo-Pacific.
Echoing Rubio’s assessment, Gor described India as both a “strategic partner” and a cornerstone of regional stability. “India’s geographic position, economic growth, and military capabilities make it a critical part of promoting prosperity and advancing the security interests that our nations share,” he said, pledging to work towards expanding defense cooperation, enhancing trade, and advancing people-to-people ties.