Underlining that “India is a strategic partner whose trajectory will shape the region and beyond”, US ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor said Thursday that President Donald Trump has invited India’s commerce and trade ministers next week, and they will be meeting US trade representative Jamieson Greer in Washington and that the specifics of the bilateral trade deal will get resolved in the “next few weeks”.At his confirmation hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Gor said President Trump has a “deep friendship” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He pointed out that even when Trump has been critical of India, he has gone out of his way to compliment Modi.Speaking on the Quad grouping that comprises the US, India, Australia and Japan — India is to host the summit this year although the dates haven’t been announced yet — he said, “The Quad is vitally important. The President is committed to continuing continual engagement with the Quad. In fact, there’s already been talks on a trip for the next Quad meeting.”Gor, 38, who is likely to be the youngest US envoy to India, said he is committed to advancing America’s interest in this “important” partnership.This is the first time that the US envoy-designate has made his comments on Indo-US ties in a public forum.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who introduced Gor at the hearing, said he has known him for a very long time and he is the “nominee to India, which is, I would say, one of the top relationships the US has in the world today, in terms of the future, what the world is going to look like.”Rubio said that in the 21st Century, the “story is going to be written in the Indo-Pacific. In fact, it’s so important that we’ve actually changed the name of the combatant command of the Indo-Pacific. India is at the core of that.”Story continues below this adIn Delhi, Gor and Rubio’s statements were read in a “positive manner”. Sources said high-level visits by senior officials on trade and defence are expected in the coming days. “The discussions on trade and defence equipment are expected to pick up pace in the coming days, and high-level visits cannot be ruled out at this stage,” a source said.Gor and Rubio’s remarks came a day after Trump, hinting at a possible easing of trade tensions, said India and America are “continuing negotiations to address the trade barriers”, and that he was “certain” there would be “no difficulty” in the talks being successful. Responding to Trump’s remarks, Modi said both countries are “natural partners” and will “work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future”.Gor said India and the US are actively negotiating right now, and that Trump has invited the Indian commerce and trade ministers next week. “Part of that will include hopeful, a hopeful deal. We are not that far apart right now on a deal. In fact, they’re negotiating the nitty-gritty of a deal… We expect more from India than we do sometimes from other nations. I do think it will get resolved over the next few weeks.”He spoke about the “deep friendship” between Trump and Modi. “In fact, if you have noticed, when he has gone after other nations, he tends to go after their leaders for putting us in that position, and for the US imposing those tariffs. When the President has been critical of India, he has gone out of his way to compliment PM Modi. They have an incredible relationship.”Story continues below this ad“We’re not that far apart on a deal already on these tariffs… Getting India to stop buying Russian oil is a top priority for this administration. I think the time will arrive upon us in the next few weeks, the next few months, for all of this to get resolved,” he said.This is a key demand of the Trump administration which has imposed 25 per cent tariff as a penalty on India for buying discounted Russian oil.He noted that India shares a lot more in common with the US than they do with China, and “for far too long, we have not had that personal touch. And not only will I be able to bring that to New Delhi, but the President is also extremely personally engaged.”“While we might have our moment of hiccups right now, we are on the track of resolving that. 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.Story continues below this ad“Frankly, they (India) are concerned by Chinese expansionism, and Chinese expansionism is not just on the border of India, it’s all over the area,” he said, adding if confirmed, he will make it a “top priority that India is pulled into our side and away from them (China).”He referred to Trump’s complimentary comments for Modi and said the Indian leader responded in kind. “We have a great foundation that I hope, if I am confirmed, to build upon.”Gor said that in the past, India’s “protectionist policies and regulatory barriers have prevented us from fully realising this partnership. If confirmed, I’ll work to advance trade that is fair, reciprocal and beneficial to the American workers and businesses.”“Improving US-India trade ties will not only bolster US competitiveness, but also reduce China’s economic leverage over other nations,” he said.Story continues below this ad“If confirmed, I will work to increase American energy exports to India, establishing the US as a leading supplier of crude oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas,” he said.“India’s role in ensuring the stability and security of the region cannot be understated. A stable South Asia is in the interest of the US and all the nations,” he said, adding that the US-India partnership will define the 21st Century.“It is only by working together that we can make that aspiration a reality.” He said India’s geographic position, economic growth and military capabilities make it a “cornerstone” for regional stability and a critical part of promoting prosperity and advancing the security interests that the two nations share.“I will work to deliver on the presidential agenda and advance US interests by increasing our defence cooperation, ensuring fair and beneficial trade, deepening energy security and furthering technology,” Gor said.Story continues below this adHe said if confirmed, he will prioritise deepening defence and security cooperation with India. “This includes expanding joint military exercises, advancing co-development and co-production of defence systems and concluding critical defence sales,” he said.These efforts, he said, will enhance collaboration between “our forces while supporting American defence manufacturers and making America more prosperous.” From artificial intelligence to pharmaceuticals to critical minerals, the potential for collaboration between the two countries is vast, Gor said, adding that he will advocate for reforms that will make India’s markets more accessible and transparent.“I will also work towards President Trump’s ambitious goal dubbed ‘Mission 500′ to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, which will expand American exports, creating jobs and prosperity for our citizens,” he said.He said he will encourage Indian investment in US manufacturing capacity, and “we will also be furthering with Indian investments in the United States. We’ll also be furthering our strategic pharmaceutical supply chain and create more jobs right here at home in the US.”Story continues below this adIndia is also a strategic partner in advancing critical and emerging technology. The US-India Trust Initiative, launched in February by Trump and Modi, lays out a path to leverage the impressive capacity of the US tech sector to outcompete China on the development of AI, quantum, semiconductors and other critical and emerging technologies, he said.He said he will also advance this administration’s AI Action Plan, which will ensure the dominance of American AI technology in India and globally. “Our technology cooperation will require significant energy resources, another area where the United States and India can work together,” he said.Responding to a question on the BRICS, Gor said, “Indians have been on our side on various issues within BRICS, including several individuals in BRICS — Brazil, China 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… those other individuals that are in BRICS.”Asked about India’s purchases of Russian oil and how he views India’s choice in light of US tariffs and America’s strategic goals, Gor said Trump has been crystal clear on this. “They must stop buying Russian oil.”Story continues below this adRubio said “we are in a period of extraordinary transition in that relationship with India. We’ve got some really important issues coming up that we need to work with them on and work through on that implicate what’s happening from Ukraine, but also implicate what’s happening in the region”.“It is important that the United States be represented at that post with someone who has the direct ear and confidence of the President of the United States,” he said, adding that he knows of no one “who has had a better or closer working relationship” than Gor.He said Gor is “very, very close to the President, has the President’s confidence, and I can tell you that when you interact with these countries, in fact, I’ve already seen it when you interact with these countries, having a representative in a place like India that has direct access to the Oval Office, to the President and who they know can get things done both in the administration, and through the Oval Office, is critically important. I don’t know of anyone out there that’s better positioned” to do that than Gor, he said.Senator James Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said, “As partners in the Quad, India and the US play an important role in maintaining a free, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific… Our relationship has its frictions. We cannot ignore that. Our countries are strategically aligned on the need to counter China’s unfair economic practices and malign influence. At the same time, you must balance the strategic priorities with difficult conversations. India’s close energy relationship with our adversary Russia is incredibly troubling. President Trump has taken action to address India’s dangerous purchases of Russian oil, and I hope you will double down on those efforts, making clear to your Indian counterparts that the United States will not tolerate support for Putin’s war machine.”US Republican Senator Bill Hagherty said, “Our relationship with India is now more important than ever… and at this critical time, we need someone who can speak with clarity, who can act with conviction, and importantly, who has a direct line to the President of the US… Sergio Gor is that person, when he speaks, New Delhi will know that he speaks not just for the State Department, but for the President himself.”