Gor Reaffirms US-India Defence Ties After Command Name Change

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor dismissed the controversy over the recent renaming of the US Indo-Pacific Command. He urged observers to focus on actual bilateral operations rather than the "name on a letterhead". Gor delivered these remarks at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Leadership Summit on Monday, June 29, 2026.

He rejected online commentary that suggested a decline in diplomatic relations, saying such claims did not match the facts.

 "So to all those pundits that sit online and tweet and say, this relationship is in trouble, when you look at the facts of where this relationship stands, whether it's trade, whether it's defence, whether it's the people to people ties, the relationship is on strong footing," Gor said.

Renaming Debate Dismissed

Created in 1947, the American Pacific Command is among the oldest unified commands of the US and covers military operations stretching from the American west coast to India's western borders.

The Trump administration renamed it the Indo-Pacific Command during its first term to reflect the growing importance of India in the region. The United States reversed this decision and restored the original name earlier in June 2026.

Defending the military alliance against critics, Gor asked observers to measure the relationship by its active operations rather than administrative titles. Gor said, "I just want to mention something because a lot of individuals made hay over a name change. I don't care what name is on a letterhead, but look at what the United States is actually doing."

He pointed to ongoing military cooperation as proof of a stable partnership. Gor added, "Yes, the name changed; we're still there. India still has more exercises with the United States than any other country by far. Every single month there's something happening, whether it's Indian troops coming here or whether it's US troops going into the region."

Close Personal Bond

Gor recalled an incident from a couple of months ago backstage at a UFC event in Miami. President Trump wanted to spontaneously call Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the bouts. "It was a couple months ago... with the president at UFC in Miami and we're sitting backstage and he said to me, 'Let's call the Prime Minister'," Gor said.

Gor reminded the president about the timezone difference before the call. Recounting the exchange, Gor said, "I said, 'Sir, it's 6:00 AM in the morning there [India].' He said, 'He [Modi] will be up. He [Modi] is like me'."

By the time Gor managed to speak to a few people in New Delhi, Trump was already on the UFC stage, so the phone call was eventually scheduled for the following day. Gor used the anecdote to outline the informal and close alliance between the two leaders, saying the president truly considered the Prime Minister a friend.