The signal behind Sergio Gor’s Kashmir and Ladakh visit MyInd Makers 24 Aug 2026

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The signal behind Sergio Gor’s Kashmir and Ladakh visit MyInd Makers 24 Aug 2026

          The US ambassador to New Delhi, Sergio Gor, who is also Trump’s special envoy for South and Central Asian affairs, visited Kashmir and Ladakh last week. The last visit to Kashmir by a US ambassador was by Ambassador Ken Juster in Jan 2020. He was part of a delegation of 15 envoys taken to Kashmir post abrogation of Article 370. The aim then was to display to the world efforts being put in place for restoring normalcy. Gor is the fourth US ambassador to have visited Kashmir.

          In Ladakh his proposed meeting with the Dalai Lama was cancelled. The reason possibly was not to antagonize China prior to Xi Jinping’s proposed visit to Washington as also India hosting the BRICS summit, which Xi is scheduled to attend, both scheduled for next month.       

          During his visit to Kashmir, Gor met J and K chief minister, Omar Abdullah, and discussed US-J&K cooperation on tourism, horticulture and the new economy. Omar mentioned, ‘It was a very good meeting. We are hopeful that the engagement between the US and J&K will both widen and deepen in the years ahead.’ Gor, since his arrival to India has been attempting to reset ties between Washington and New Delhi.

          It was comments by Gor in Srinagar which set off alarm bells across the LoC, while being welcomed in India. Gor mentioned, ‘pleasure to be here… This is an important part of India. I am here, visiting for the first time.’ He mentioned Kashmir as being an ‘important part of India,’ though ‘integral part’ would have been preferred. It was the US conveying ground reality that the region will always remain a ‘part’ of India, despite Pakistan’s claims. 

It was the word ‘part’ which caused panic as it signified that Kashmir, in the opinion of the US, was a part of India. Gor chose each word deliberately based on possible suggestions from the US state department, whom he would have consulted prior to the visit, as US-Pak ties are affected. His comment also conveys that Kashmir is NOT considered disputed. The issue is whether the statement signifies a change in US policy, remains debateable.

          The second statement was equally hurting to Pakistan, though they could do nothing about it. Sergio Gor mentioned that the US would reconsider its level 4 travel warning to Kashmir on which he mentioned, ‘New Delhi, the chief minister here, the government here, we believe have taken some incredible steps to make this area safe.’ While this implies praise for the governments at the centre and state as also security agencies, it is a statement which will be utilized by Pak to goad its terrorist groups to enhance activities in Kashmir.

          In contrast, in Oct 2022, US ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, visited POK and termed it as ‘Azad Jammu and Kashmir,’ drawing a fierce response from India. He added fuel to fire by mentioning, after visiting historical sites in POK, that these are ‘symbols of the cultural and historical richness of Pakistan.’ These comments were seen as the US bending towards Pakistan’s claims over a region, considered to belong to India.

During Oct 2022, Joe Biden was the US president and Indo-US ties were good. It is possible that Blome’s remarks were meant to assuage Pakistan, with whom US ties were just improving, post visit of their then army chief, Qamar Bajwa, to the US. It could also have been to cool down tempers after Biden termed Pakistan as ‘one of the most dangerous nations in the world.’ The US had then stepped- up support to Pak by offering USD 200 million as aid for floods the same year.

Currently, Indo-US ties are sinking, while Pak-US ties are on the rise, especially as Pak was tasked to mediate between the US and Iran and Trump’s fondness for dictators, especially failed marshal Asim Munir. Is this a reverse action to reset Indo-US ties.

Pakistan’s reaction was on expected lines. It summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires, Natalie Baker, and issued a strong demarche on the statements of Sergio Gor. The statement issued by its foreign ministry mentioned, ‘Pakistan strongly condemned and categorically rejected the characterisation of Jammu and Kashmir as a part of India.’ Had Islamabad just protested, the meaning would have been different, issuing a strong demarche implied that Gor’s message has hurt where it was intended.

Gor has made his statement, complaining now has little impact, except to assuage their own population. Further, Pakistan listed no objection on his visit to Kashmir, unlike China which objects every time a US ambassador visits Arunachal, only to be debunked by India. On the contrary, India conveyed its displeasure to the US on Bloome’s visit to POK in 2022. 

 What will have Pakistan thinking is the proposed lifting of US advisory on visiting Kashmir. This conveys that Kashmir is firmly under Indian control as also the population is no longer pro-Pakistan, especially since the crackdown in POK. On the contrary, POK is burning with protests continuing alongside killings of innocents. This has added to their defence preparedness as communication with forward posts are impacted.

With tourism increasing in J and K, following US degrading of the advisory, claiming the region as disputed will have little impact. Pakistan’s demands to include western powers in negotiations over India holding the IWT in abeyance as also resolving the dispute over Kashmir has few takers. Trump made a statement on being willing to do so, but has since maintained silence, aware that India is disinterested. On the contrary, every time Pakistan rakes Kashmir in any global body, the bounce back from India is on its handling of protests in POK as also the scenario in Baluchistan. It is a catch 22 scenario for Pak presently, which it conveniently sidesteps claiming Indian involvement.

The Pak army would now begin looking at a major terrorist incident in J and K, largely to rekindle its disputed status and prevent the US from reducing its advisory. This also is no guarantor. The last such attempt in Pahalgam was met with a severe response from India. It cannot risk another, despite having inked the Mecca pact.

If neither Pak nor Turkey acted against the Houthis, which continue targeting Saudi, it is unlikely that they would join Pak in support. Further, India arming Greece and Cyprus is a setback to Turkey. Equipment would flow from both, Turkey and China, which is already happening, but that alone is insufficient.

India has continuously been talking of Operation Sindoor 2.0. It implies that its target lists and weapons to be employed are in readiness and the counter would come faster than it did the last time. The failed marshal cannot risk another failure, especially as he gains complete control over the country.