- Sergio Gor, a 38-year-old former Trump aide confirmed as US ambassador to India in January, spent two days in Srinagar and Ladakh this week, and told reporters he was thrilled to visit 'an important part of India' for the first time.
- Gor also said Washington was reconsidering its 'do not travel' advisory for Jammu and Kashmir, citing improved security under Abdullah's administration.
- Pakistan's Foreign Ministry summoned Charge d'Affaires Natalie Baker and lodged a 'strong demarche', rejecting the characterization of Indian-administered Kashmir as 'part of India'.
- The statement from Pakistan called Gor's remarks factually incorrect and said they negated Washington's longstanding position on the dispute.
- Gor’s visit was the first standalone trip by a serving US ambassador to Indian-administered Kashmir since 2019, and his remarks were made publicly alongside Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
- The episode comes at a delicate moment for US ties with both South Asian rivals, as Pakistan courts the Trump administration and the US balances that against its strategic partnership with India.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor's recent visit to Kashmir has reignited tensions between India and Pakistan, as he referred to the region as "an important part of India."12
This visit marks the first by a serving US ambassador since India revoked Kashmir's autonomy in 2019. Gor's comments, made alongside Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, were met with immediate backlash from Islamabad, which summoned the US charge d'affaires and issued a strong demarche rejecting the characterization of Kashmir.
The Foreign Ministry of Pakistan emphasized that Gor's remarks were factually incorrect and contradicted Washington's longstanding position on the Kashmir dispute, which has been a contentious issue since the end of British colonial rule in 1947.3456
The ministry reiterated that Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory awaiting resolution under UN Security Council resolutions.
Gor's visit comes at a sensitive time for US-Pakistan relations, as Islamabad seeks closer ties with the Trump administration while the US balances its strategic partnership with India.
Gor also mentioned that Washington is reconsidering its “do not travel” advisory for the region, citing improved security conditions under Abdullah's administration, although the advisory currently remains in place due to terrorism concerns.
The Kashmir conflict remains unresolved, with both India and Pakistan claiming the territory in full, despite each administering parts of it.
Kashmir is a Himalayan region claimed by both India and Pakistan since British colonial rule ended in August 1947.
“Gor's two-day trip to Srinagar and Ladakh was the first standalone visit by a serving US ambassador since 2019, and he said Washington was reconsidering its 'do not travel' advisory for the region. Pakistan thanked Trump for his offer to help resolve the Kashmir question, urging consistent public language.”
