New Delhi: In what seems to be a notable shift in policy, US Ambassador Sergio Gor Wednesday called the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir an “important part” of India and has indicated the possible reevaluation of the American travel advisory to the region.
This is the first standalone visit by a US Ambassador to Srinagar since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The last US Ambassador to visit Jammu and Kashmir was Kenneth Juster who visited the union territory as part of a larger delegation of envoys in 2020. Juster made a standalone visit to Jammu and Kashmir in August 2018, following the collapse of the Mehbooba Mufti-led government. Juster had met then governor N. N. Vohra.
Gor in his first visit to Srinagar met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Following the meeting, the US Ambassador lauded the efforts undertaken by the Government of India to make the union territory safer and more secure, and announced that Washington would reevaluate its travel advisory.
“Everybody here knows I’m the US Ambassador to India, and this is an important part of India, and so I’m here visiting for the first time. It is an incredibly beautiful place, and so I’m thrilled to be here, thrilled to see this place,” Gor said.
He added: “The last thing I’ll share with you is that the United States puts out travel warnings, and every so often we reevaluate those travel warnings. I cannot make any big announcements here today, but it is something we’re gonna look at. New Delhi, the chief minister here, the government here, we believe have taken some incredible steps to make this area safe.”
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that the “least” Sergio Gor could do was “review and withdraw the highest level travel advisory against visiting Kashmir”. Mufti added that the union territory depends on tourism and that the US advisory is a “wall between Kashmir and the world”.
“Lifting it would send a powerful message of confidence, help bring back international tourists and give much needed relief to countless families whose livelihoods depend on tourism,” said Mufti on social media platform X.
The US maintains a four-level standard for travel advisories, with the highest being level 4 which means “do not travel”. Currently the US maintains a level 4 advisory for four regions in India—the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, parts of Central and East India, Manipur, and the India-Pakistan border.
The US State Department specifically warns against any travel to Jammu and Kashmir due to “terrorism and civil unrest”. The advisory adds that violence occurs in tourist areas such as Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar.
Gor is the first ambassador in almost 15 years to meet a sitting Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. The last US Ambassador to meet a sitting Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir was Timothy Roemer, who met Omar Abdullah in 2011.
The US has long maintained that the issue surrounding Jammu and Kashmir must be solved bilaterally between India and Pakistan, with President Donald J. Trump even offering to mediate the discussions. Last year US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced after the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan that the two countries will meet at a neutral location to discuss Jammu and Kashmir.
However, while the current US administration has made remarks on the union territory such as Rubio’s statement, Gor’s comments have been the most explicit on how Washington views the current progress made by India in ensuring the security of Jammu and Kashmir.
India has long maintained that Pakistan has illegally occupied parts of Jammu and Kashmir with the two countries sparring militarily numerous times on the issue. In the last year, the Trump administration had moved to working closely with Islamabad, especially on finding a solution to its current war with Iran.
However, ties with India have faced numerous challenges especially on the trade front, with the two countries continuing to negotiate an interim bilateral trade deal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Trump at the margins of the G7 summit in France this June, which indicated that the two countries are moving forward with the relationship.
Gor called for closer economic cooperation with a predictable taxation system Tuesday while addressing the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce in Mumbai.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to travel to the US state of Florida later this year to attend the G20 summit, which is set to be chaired by President Trump.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: After Pakistan protests, US Trade Representative quietly removes map showing J&K as part of India