'India's Middle Class Is Bigger Than Entire US Population': Top 7 Takeaways From Sergio Gor Amid Trump Tariff Row

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Sergio Gor, US President Donald Trump's nominee to be ambassador to India, said on Thursday that Washington and New Delhi are 'not that far apart' on tariffs. Gor was speaking at a hearing in which he and Trump's fellow Republicans described warm bilateral ties despite recent tensions.

In an unusual move, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared at the hearing to introduce Sergio Gor.

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Successive US administrations have courted India as a potential counterweight to an increasingly powerful China, but Trump's trade war has severely tested the relationship.

Talks on lower tariff rates collapsed after India, the world's fifth-largest economy, resisted opening its vast agricultural and dairy sectors. Bilateral trade is worth more than $190 billion each year.

Trump first imposed additional tariffs of 25 per cent on imports from India, then said they would double to 50 per cent from August 27 as punishment for New Delhi's increased purchases of Russian oil, as Washington works to end the war in Ukraine.

Here is what Gor, a close Trump aide who is director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

On US Tariffs

1-“We're not that far apart on a deal on these tariffs. I do think it will get resolved in the next few weeks,” Gor said.

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Donald Trump said on Tuesday his administration is continuing negotiations to address trade barriers with India and that he would talk to Modi, in a sign of a reset after weeks of diplomatic friction.

2-“India's middle class is bigger than the entire population of America. This is a massive economic opportunity for us,” Gor said.

3-“Our President has a deep friendship with Prime Minister Modi, which is unique. If you've noticed, when he goes after other nations, he tends to go after their leaders for putting us in that position and for the United States imposing those tariffs. When the President has been critical of India, he goes out of his way to compliment Modi. They have an incredible relationship...” Gor said.

Will Donald Trump attend the Quad Summit?

4- Asked if he would commit to pushing to ensure that a summit meeting of the Quad, which groups India with Australia, Japan and the United States, would take place as scheduled later this year, Gor said. "Without committing to exact dates ... the president is fully committed to continue to meet with the Quad and strengthening it."

India is expected to host a November Quad summit, with a more explicit focus on security regarding China than previously, but a person familiar with the matter told Reuters this month that Trump has yet to schedule a trip there.

5-"While we might have our moment of hiccups right now, we are on the track of resolving that," Gor said.

On India-US Relations

6-"Our relationship with the Indian government, with the people of India, extends many more decades, and it's a much warmer relationship than they have with the Chinese," Gor said.

What Gor said about India buying Russian Oil?

Gor said President Donald Trump has made it crystal clear that India must stop“buying Russian Oil”.

Also Read | US-India ties warmer than with China, says Trump's envoy pick India's middle class is bigger than the entire population of America. This is a massive economic opportunity for us.

7-“President Trump has made it crystal clear that India must stop buying Russian oil... India has been on our side on various issues within BRICS. Several countries within BRICS have pushed for years to move away from the US Dollar. India has been the stopgap for that. India is much more willing and open to engage with us than with those other nations in BRICS,” he said.

(With agency inputs)

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