https://www.scmp.com/rss/524629/feed The latest news and top stories on Sergio Gor, Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office. He is nominated as US Ambassador to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs. Gor oversees vetting and staffing for approximately 4,000 political appointments, credited with rapidly filling federal government positions. His background includes extensive political operative work, serving on presidential campaigns, as a congressional aide and communications director. He also... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A stretch of awkward diplomacy is unfolding in the Indo-Pacific. After India’s 2025 term as the Quad’s rotating chair ended without a summit, New Delhi is planning to host a foreign ministers’ meeting that could be framed as a leaders-level discussion, even if the top leaders do not attend, according to two people familiar with the matter. The move is seen as a way to smooth India’s ruffled feathers on several counts. “It’s akin to putting lipstick on a pig,” said Sourabh Gupta of the Institute... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350230/quad-summit-plan-turns-uneasy-india-pushes-ahead-without-top-leaders-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350230/quad-summit-plan-turns-uneasy-india-pushes-ahead-without-top-leaders-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:17:13 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A trade deal reached between India and the United States could lead to closer geopolitical alignment between the two countries and bring New Delhi a step closer to becoming a leading manufacturing hub. But observers are sceptical that New Delhi may stop buying Russian crude oil, and whether the volume of American exports to India may surge in a short span of time. On Monday, US President Donald Trump said he would reduce the US tariff on Indian imports to 18 per cent from 25 per cent and remove... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342233/why-india-may-gravitate-back-us-bloc-after-tariff-deal-two-way-trade-set-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342233/why-india-may-gravitate-back-us-bloc-after-tariff-deal-two-way-trade-set-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:00:31 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji US President Donald Trump’s backing for a Senate bill that would allow tariffs of up to 500 per cent on goods from countries buying Russian oil has raised the prospect of a near-freeze in trade between India and its largest export market, as New Delhi continues to absorb steep US duties imposed last year. Trump last week gave the green light to the proposal, which targets any country that continues to buy Russian oil, petroleum products or uranium, a move seen as part of Washington’s effort to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3339920/trumps-500-tariff-push-raises-risk-india-us-trade-freeze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3339920/trumps-500-tariff-push-raises-risk-india-us-trade-freeze?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 02:00:18 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged US President Donald Trump to personally attend three major Indo-Pacific summits this fall, warning that his absence could hand China a strategic advantage as Beijing aggressively expands its influence across the region. In a letter released on Friday, members of Congress stressed that the Indo-Pacific region remains “vital to America’s security and prosperity”, and is at the centre of “strategic competition” with China. They called Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3329481/us-lawmakers-urge-trump-attend-key-indo-pacific-summits-and-send-clear-message-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3329481/us-lawmakers-urge-trump-attend-key-indo-pacific-summits-and-send-clear-message-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 19:50:48 +0000 CNA CNA The United States Senate on Tuesday confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee Anjani Sinha as ambassador to Singapore. The orthopaedic surgeon was among a slew of nominees voted in by a 51-47 simple majority for various positions. Others on the list include Sergio Gor, who will become the ambassador to India, and Sean O’Neill, who is set to be the ambassador to Thailand. Sinha is a surgeon on the east coast specialising in orthopaedics and sports medicine. The US State Department previously... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3328195/anjani-sinha-confirmed-trumps-envoy-singapore-despite-fumbling-hearing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3328195/anjani-sinha-confirmed-trumps-envoy-singapore-despite-fumbling-hearing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 04:30:54 +0000 Reuters Reuters India and the United States will hold trade talks on Tuesday, New Delhi said, raising hopes for a breakthrough weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed punitive tariffs on the South Asian nation for buying Russian oil. The move comes after Trump struck a more conciliatory tone in statements last week and expressed optimism that he could finalise a trade deal. The US trade representative for South Asia, Brendan Lynch, will be in New Delhi for one day of talks, Indian chief negotiator Rajesh... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3325637/us-india-hold-trade-talks-raising-hopes-reset?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3325637/us-india-hold-trade-talks-raising-hopes-reset?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:51:59 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to India on Thursday pushed back on fears that New Delhi was drifting towards China, pledging to draw India closer to the US, open its markets to American goods and end Russian oil purchases, while telling senators that India and China had little in common and were unlikely to forge closer ties. “While we might have our moments of hiccups right now, we are on the track of resolving that. Our relationship with the Indian government … is much... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325259/just-hiccups-trumps-india-nominee-pledges-pull-new-delhi-away-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325259/just-hiccups-trumps-india-nominee-pledges-pull-new-delhi-away-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 21:11:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump said on Friday he would nominate Sergio Gor, one of his closest aides, to be the country’s next ambassador to India, where he will oversee frosty relations that have worsened with the planned doubling of US tariffs on India next week. Gor, who is currently the director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, would also serve as a special envoy for South and Central Asian affairs. Trump said on social media that Gor would remain in his current position until he... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3322897/trump-taps-close-aide-sergio-gor-next-us-ambassador-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3322897/trump-taps-close-aide-sergio-gor-next-us-ambassador-india?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 21:42:33 +0000