New York: The US has a “fantastic” relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Donald Trump said, as he underlined that India is an “important” economic and strategic security partner in the Indo-Pacific region.

“We have a fantastic relationship with the Prime Minister, (Narendra) Modi, and Sergio (Gor) has only enhanced that because he’s already friendly with the Prime Minister,” Trump said in remarks during Gor’s swearing-in ceremony as US Ambassador to India in the Oval Office on Monday. “Knowing that Sergio is going to be the Ambassador, they would call constantly to say, ‘let’s get to know this man’, and they like what they see,” Trump said.

US Vice President J D Vance administered the oath of office to Gor at a special ceremony in the Oval Office. Trump presided over the ceremony that was attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Attorney General Pam Bondi, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro as well as Senator Lindsey Graham and widow of political activist Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk, among other officials and lawmakers.

Trump said that Gor is going to have “great success” in India, as he described the bilateral relationship between India and the US as “very important.”

Trump said India has the fastest-growing middle class and is an “important economic and strategic security partner in the Indo-Pacific region.

“It’s an amazing country, actually, 1.5 billion people. China has 1.4 billion. Those are two big countries. As Ambassador, Sergio will work to fortify our country’s bond, promote investments in key US industries and technologies, increase American energy exports and expand our security cooperation,” Trump said.

The US Senate had confirmed Gor in October to serve as the United States’ next ambassador to India. In August, Trump had promoted Gor, Director of Presidential Personnel, to be the next US Ambassador to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs.

Trump said that in his role as Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Gor will be a “key emissary to a very important group of nations at the crossroads between East and West.”

Trump noted that last week, he was “honoured” to host leaders of the five central Asian countries in the White House.

Trump had hosted the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan at the White House.