U.S. envoy Sergio Gor terms J&K as ‘important part of India’, praises Delhi, CM for peace efforts

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U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor with Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Credit: X/@USAmbIndia

On his maiden visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Sergio Gor, U.S. Ambassador to India and Special Envoy to South and Central Asia, on Wednesday (August 19, 2026) praised the Centre and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for their efforts to “keep India’s important place safe” and hinted at evaluating the U.S.’s current adverse travel advisory to the Union Territory (UT). Meanwhile, Mr. Abdullah said that “legacy issues” were discussed during the meeting with Mr. Gor.

“J&K is an important part of India and it’s an incredibly beautiful place. I am thrilled to see this place. Delhi and the Chief Minister have made incredible steps to keep this place safe. We will have some follow-ups to Washington and Delhi,” said Mr. Gor, after meeting Mr. Abdullah at the latter’s residence in Srinagar’s Gupkar Road.

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Mr. Gor termed the meeting “warm and cordial”, saying it “will take it forward”.

Mr. Gor’s statement assumes significance because it was his first visit to J&K after the Centre ended the region’s special status in 2019. Referring to J&K as “an important part of India” is also a departure from the past where Kashmir was referred to as “an unresolved issue between India and Pakistan”.

Mr. Gor also hinted at re-evaluating travel advisory to J&K, which remained adverse after 2019 and later after the ‘Operation Sindoor’. “We will be looking at travel warnings. It should be downgraded. It (J&K) is a beautiful area and a lot of Americans want to come here,” said Mr. Gor.

The J&K Chief minister also described the meeting as “good opportunity to discuss relations between two countries and what the US can do with J&K”.

“There are some legacy issues which over time we will be working to resolve. We look forward to take this conversion further,” said Mr. Abdullah.

He said the conversation was also “about the possibilities that exist to widen and deepen the engagement between J&K and the United States of America, particularly in areas like tourism, horticulture and the new economy”.

It was a pleasure to receive @USAmbIndia Sergio Gor in Srinagar today. We had a very good conversation about the possibilities that exist to widen & deepen the engagement between J&K & the United States of America, particularly in areas like tourism, horticulture & the new… pic.twitter.com/VsJdJSbzJg

In a post on X, Mr. Gor appreciated the opportunity to meet with CM Abdullah and “to learn more about his priorities”.

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