US ambassador backs India on J&K
US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor on Wednesday endorsed India’s longstanding position on Jammu and Kashmir by describing the Union Territory as an important part of India during his first visit to Srinagar after Operation Sindoor.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his Gupkar residence, Gor said, “It is a pleasure to be here. This is an important part of India. I am here, visiting for the first time. It is an incredibly beautiful place. I am thrilled to be here, thrilled to see this place.” He described the meeting with the CM as warm and cordial.
The envoy, who is known to be close aide of US President Donald Trump and also serves as Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, further indicated that Washington would reconsider its travel advisory for the region. “The United States puts out travel warnings, and every so often we re-evaluate those travel warnings. I cannot make any big announcements here today, but it is something that we are going to look at… We will be looking at whether the travel warning that is imposed, that the United States recommends, is something that should be downgraded… This is a beautiful area; I think a lot of Americans would enjoy coming here and seeing the beauty and opportunity that exists here.”
The US State Department currently maintains a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Jammu and Kashmir (except the eastern Ladakh region and Leh), citing risks of terrorism. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the meeting as “very good” and said discussions focused on deepening engagement between the US and J&K, particularly in tourism, horticulture, and the new economy. “We are very hopeful and optimistic that the engagement between the US and J&K will both widen and deepen in the years ahead,” he said.
Abdullah earlier clarified that internal issues of the region would be addressed with the Union Government in New Delhi rather than raised with the US envoy. The meeting was significant as it marked the first interaction between a serving US ambassador and a sitting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister in more than 15 years. The last such meeting took place in 2011, when then US envoy Timothy Roemer met Abdullah.
Earlier, former J&K CM Mehboota Mufti had also urged Gor to review and withdraw the highest-level travel advisory issued by his country against visiting Kashmir.
