New Delhi [India], January 22 (ANI): US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor extended a warm welcome to US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll on his arrival.

In a post on X, Gor wrote, 'A very warm welcome to my friend, @SecArmy Dan Driscoll to India!'

https://x.com/USAmbIndia/status/2013928560080146936?s=20

The welcome came as Gor on Tuesday said senior US government officials will regularly travel to India as part of efforts to take the bilateral partnership to the next level of cooperation, even as differences remain between the two sides on trade-related issues.

Gor made the remarks at the end of what the US embassy described as a 'productive visit' by Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and members of Parliament during January 17-19.

The US embassy said Daines discussed expanding US-India defence cooperation, joint efforts to secure supply chains, and the 'importance of the US-India strategic partnership to ensuring our shared security and preserving a stable and open Indo-Pacific region.'

'As we work to take the partnership between our two nations to the next level in cooperation, I will ensure that senior government officials will regularly travel to India,' Gor said.

He also said Daines' engagements with official and private sector stakeholders in New Delhi were 'instrumental in advancing our bilateral relationship.'

The US embassy further said Daines also 'pursued interests of the Trump Administration' and the people of Montana, which he represents in the Senate.

During the visit, Daines said he pushed for 'favourable pulse crop provisions in any future trade agreements' between India and the United States.

Daines said, 'I appreciated Minister Goyal for listening to our farmers' concerns and will continue to work with President Trump to press this important priority.'

He also called for the 'acceleration of the active and ongoing talks towards concluding a fair and reciprocal bilateral trade deal.'

The visit drew attention in diplomatic circles as India had, in previous years, stopped arranging meetings between individual US lawmakers and Central ministers. The visit also came within the first week of Gor assuming office, with the envoy emphasising India's importance as a partner and focusing on negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement.

Trump had hit Indian exports with 50 per cent tariffs last year, including a 25 per cent punitive levy linked to purchases of Russian oil, impacting bilateral ties. (ANI)