US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor meets Commerce Secretary Agrawal

New Delhi: US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor on Sunday held talks with Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on India-US economic ties with the two sides looking at ways to firm up a trade deal.

Gor, accompanied by Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J Rigas, is on a six-day visit, days after his appointment as the US envoy to India was confirmed by the Senate.

On the first day of his visit on Saturday, Gor held separate meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Gor meeting with Agrawal focused on India-US economic ties.

"During my visit to India, I met with Commerce Secretary Agrawal and discussed US-India economic ties, including increased investment in the United States," the ambassador-designate said on 'X'.

Following his meeting with PM Modi, Gor said the US "values" its relationship with India.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington have been reeling under severe stress after the Trump administration doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

India has described the US action as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable".

India has also been upset over Trump's new policy on H1B visa.

However, the recent phone conversations between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump have raised hopes for a positive outcome from the ongoing negotiations for the trade deal.

India and the US have recently resumed negotiations for the trade deal after a brief hiatus of a few weeks.

Gor, the White House personnel director and a loyal member of President Trump's inner circle, was nominated as the next American envoy to India in August.