BY SANJEEB KUMAR SAHOO
Before I discuss how many Indian states U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has visited in the last two months, I would first like to say that I am not the type of political journalist or owner of a weekly political magazine who can be silenced by offers of an iPhone, Rs 1.51 lakh in cash, dinners, cocktail parties, a luxury car, a bungalow, land, government deals, airports, or other expensive gifts, which many journalists and owners of corporate media houses have allegedly received from politicians over the last couple of years. I will not disclose those details here, but I will say what needs to be said in the national interest and in the interest of national security.
Let’s come to the point. The U.S. Ambassador to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor, could potentially become a vice-presidential candidate if the current U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, becomes the Republican presidential candidate for the 2028 U.S. presidential election. Some Republicans want Marco Rubio to become the Republican presidential candidate, and, if he secures the nomination, he could potentially choose Sergio Gor as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2028 U.S. presidential election.
However, the first opportunity would likely be given to Vice President JD Vance, who is widely considered a potential contender for the Republican nomination in the 2028 presidential election. Even if Vance decides to run, he would still have to officially enter the race, compete against other challengers within his party, go through the standard primary election process, win delegates, and ultimately secure the Republican nomination at the Republican National Convention.
The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a quadrennial event held by the U.S. Republican Party to officially select its presidential and vice-presidential nominees and adopt the party platform.
It is true that U.S. President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy, Sergio Gor, has visited sensitive areas in several Indian states over the past two months. The latest example is his visit to Manipur, which took place while India was hosting the BRICS Summit from September 12 to 13, where representatives from participating nations were present. He is not the only foreign diplomat visiting different parts of India; other foreign diplomats are doing the same. However, while their visits may be routine diplomatic engagements, I believe the timing and locations of some of Sergio Gor’s visits deserve public attention and scrutiny.
It is also true that U.S. Special Envoy Sergio Gor visited Punjab on September 28, 2026. During his visit to Amritsar, pro-Khalistan slogans were reportedly raised outside the Golden Temple while he and a 28-member American delegation were in the city.
Before that, he visited Maharashtra on September 24 and August 18. He visited Manipur on September 11 and Darjeeling on September 9. He also visited Karnataka on September 6 and August 6, Hyderabad on August 14, Jammu and Kashmir on August 19, Kerala on August 8, and Telangana on August 6.
I would also like to appreciate Abhishek Singhvi, a prominent Indian lawyer and Congress politician who is also a Rajya Sabha MP elected on a Congress Party ticket, for taking note of Sergio Gor’s visits to sensitive regions. In a post on September 29, he stated that Sergio Gor’s conduct increasingly carries the optics of a colonial-era Viceroy touring sensitive regions, inserting himself into deeply local issues and presiding over diplomatic optics with an air of entitlement.
I would like to conclude by saying that I strongly believe some political executives and lawmakers may be remaining silent on certain matters because of concerns about the U.S. visa policy. The United States may review an applicant’s background and activities when considering a visa application, and individuals who have made certain remarks against the United States may face difficulties obtaining a visa or travelling to the country. These considerations may influence how some people speak publicly about U.S. policies, although I cannot establish that this is the reason for any particular politician’s silence.
Many political leaders and lawmakers also have family members living or working abroad. For example, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s close aide and Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s son, Dhruv Goyal, lives and does business in New York. At the same time, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s son, Dhruva Jaishankar, lives and works in the United States, where he serves as the Executive Director of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), founded by Mukesh Ambani.
And trust me, I keep a close eye on politicians and their activities, and I do so in the national interest and in the interest of national security. By the way, I have zero interest in visiting any U.S. city or obtaining a U.S. visa.
