Trump hints at cutting tariffs on India as loyalist Sergio Gor sworn in as ambassador

U.S. President Donald Trump faces a fresh test of his political diplomacy with India as longtime loyalist Sergio Gor takes up his post as ambassador in New Delhi, amid tension over trade and Russian oil imports, which have weighed on the two countries’ strategic ties.

At Gor’s swearing-in ceremony on Monday, Trump said Washington may soon lower tariffs on Indian goods, suggesting both sides are moving closer to a trade deal.

“The tariffs on India are really high because of the Russian oil [imports], but they have now substantially reduced Russian oil [imports], so we will be bringing the tariffs down,” Trump said.

However, data from market research firm Kpler showed that India’s imports of Russian crude were largely unchanged in October at 1.59 million barrels per day (mbd) from September.

“So far, 1.73 mbd of October Russian exports have been signaled to India, with another 302 kbd (thousand barrels per day) not yet showing a final destination (a portion of which could also end up in India),” the tank tracker said, adding “it’s still too early to draw a clear picture for November”.

Trump said Gor’s priorities would include promoting investment in key U.S. Industries, increasing American energy exports and expanding security cooperation.

“I am looking at Sergio to strengthen one of most important relationships and that is the strategic partnership with the Republic of India,” Trump said.

Gor, whose nomination as U.S. ambassador to India was confirmed by the Senate on Oct. 7, arrived in New Delhi a few days later and met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss defense, trade and technology. “We also discussed the importance of critical minerals to both of our nations,” Gor said in a statement.

Gor represents the White House’s push for faster, more direct communication with New Delhi, bypassing the usual diplomatic bureaucracy, said Alexandra Hermann of Oxford Economics.

″[This] suggests a desire to reach a trade deal sooner rather than later,” Hermann said.

“A ‘political’ ambassador rather than a ‘traditional’ diplomat may indeed speed things up, but it also raises the risk that if opinion in either country sours, they are less insulated and ties can become even more volatile,” she added.