Shringla Praises US Ambassador Sergio Gor’s Remarks on Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi — Former Indian Foreign Secretary and BJP lawmaker Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday praised U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor for offering what he called the “correct perspective” on Jammu and Kashmir after the envoy described the region as “an important part of India” during a visit to Srinagar this week.

Gor visited Srinagar on Aug. 19, where he met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. During the visit, the U.S. envoy referred to the Union Territory as “an important part of India,” a remark Shringla said represented a significant departure from previous American statements on the issue.

“There has been no such statement in the past by the United States,” Shringla said, arguing that earlier U.S. positions had generally been more nuanced because of the historical India-Pakistan dispute and the issue’s presence at the United Nations.

Shringla, who previously served as India’s Ambassador to the United States, said Gor’s position in the Trump administration made the comments particularly significant.

“Sergio Gor is not an ordinary representative of the United States. He is a very close associate of the President of the United States,” Shringla said. He added that Gor’s responsibilities covering South and Central Asia gave his remarks broader regional significance.

Shringla also pointed to earlier visits to Kashmir by U.S. ambassadors, including Robert Blackwill and Kenneth Juster. Juster traveled to Srinagar in 2020 with envoys from 14 other countries following India’s 2019 decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status under Article 370.

Shringla described Juster’s participation in that visit as a strong indication of U.S. support for India’s position at the time and said Gor’s latest remarks went further in reducing what he described as ambiguity over Jammu and Kashmir’s status.

He argued that the revocation of Article 370 had brought Jammu and Kashmir more fully into India’s political and economic mainstream, while increased infrastructure investment and tourism had contributed to development in the region.

Shringla also cited the G20 tourism meeting held in Srinagar during India’s 2023 presidency of the group, calling the decision to hold the event there a “game changer.” Shringla served as chief coordinator for India’s G20 presidency.

He contrasted conditions in Jammu and Kashmir with those in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, arguing that residents on the Indian side have greater economic opportunities and freedoms.

Gor’s visit came amid continuing unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where protests and clashes with security forces have been reported in recent months.

Shringla said Gor was unlikely to have made his remarks casually and described him as someone who carefully calibrates his public statements.

“I would certainly credit him with providing a perspective that is not only correct, but also both in the United States and internationally sends a strong signal that this is no longer an issue,” Shringla said.

He added that India’s position remains that all of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country. (Source: IANS)