'This is an important part of India': US envoy Sergio Gor makes strong Kashmir pitch, hints at easing travel warning

A day after arriving in Srinagar, US Ambassador Sergio Gor described Jammu and Kashmir as “an important part of India”, signalling Washington’s continued recognition of India’s position on the Union Territory.

His remarks came after a meeting with J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday, during the first standalone visit by a US envoy to Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 and the Pahalgam attack.

Gor flags possibility of easing US travel advisory

Gor also indicated that the United States could review its highest-level travel advisory for Jammu and Kashmir, which currently carries a Level 4 “do not travel” warning because of terrorism concerns.

“We will be looking at whether the travel warning that is imposed, which is recommended by the United States, is something that should be downgraded... have made some incredible steps to keeping this area safer and making it more safe,” he said, as quoted by India Today.

The ambassador said he believed Americans would be interested in visiting Kashmir, citing the region’s tourism potential.

“I think a lot of Americans would enjoy coming here and seeing the beauty and opportunity that exists here,” he further said.

Hours before Gor’s visit, former chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had urged the US envoy to review and withdraw the advisory, pointing out that thousands of families in Kashmir depend on tourism for their livelihoods.

Any easing of the advisory could improve Kashmir’s standing as a destination for foreign tourists and potentially support the region’s tourism economy.

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What Gor and Omar Abdullah discussed

Gor met Omar Abdullah for bilateral talks focused on the priorities of the J&K government and opportunities for greater economic engagement.

In a post on X, Gor said the talks focused on Abdullah’s “priorities” for Kashmir and ways to deepen economic collaboration.

“We discussed ways to deepen economic collaboration and create opportunities that would mutually benefit both of our nations,” Gor tweeted.

Abdullah said the discussions covered tourism, horticulture and the new economy, while also pointing to some longer-standing issues.

“It was a very good meeting... There are obviously certain legacy issues that over time we will be working to resolve. We are hopeful that the engagement between the US and J&K will both widen and deepen in the years ahead,” the Chief Minister underscored.

The meeting marked the first interaction between a serving US ambassador and a sitting J&K chief minister in more than 15 years. The previous such meeting took place in 2011, when then US envoy Timothy Roemer met Abdullah.

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First Kashmir visit since taking charge

Gor’s Srinagar trip is his first visit to Kashmir since taking charge as US ambassador earlier this year. It is also the first standalone visit by a US envoy to the region since Kenneth Juster’s visit in 2018, shortly after the PDP-BJP government fell.

Juster also visited Kashmir in 2020, but that trip was part of a multi-nation delegation.

The latest visit comes seven years after the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and bifurcated the former state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

It also comes amid continuing tensions in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, where residents have been protesting against alleged excesses by the army.

Gor's next stop: Ladakh

Gor is scheduled to travel to Ladakh on Thursday. That will be another first for a US envoy following the 2020 Galwan clashes and the subsequent India-China border standoff.

There is also speculation that Gor could meet trade bodies and members of civil society during his stay in Srinagar, although there is no official confirmation yet.

His Kashmir visit comes against the backdrop of closer India-US strategic engagement and follows recent interactions between Gor and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on counter-terrorism.

Omar Abdullah: 'Washington won't solve our problems'

Abdullah, however, sought to play down expectations from the ambassador’s visit and said he would not use the meeting to raise complaints about Kashmir.

“Washington won't solve our problems; the Centre will. I would rather listen to him instead of complaining,” Abdullah told reporters.

The J&K chief minister, who has consistently sought the restoration of statehood since his National Conference returned to power, said he did not believe Kashmir’s issues should be presented as complaints to a foreign envoy.

“Our problems are not his concern,” Abdullah said.