US to explore new avenues for commercial ties with Assam: Ambassador Sergio Gor

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor attended the swearing-in ceremony of Himanta Biswa Sarma as Chief Minister of Assam on May 12, signalling the growing diplomatic and commercial attention that the northeastern state has begun to attract from Washington.

"The United States and Assam have many commercial ties, and with the CM's leadership, we will identify many more win-win scenarios for both of our nations," Gor wrote on X after attending the ceremony in Guwahati.

The ambassador's presence at a state-level swearing-in is notable. Gor has been among the more active American diplomatic figures in India since taking office, having earlier confirmed that President Donald Trump had spoken directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi — an announcement he made on X with his characteristic brevity: "President Trump just spoke with Prime Minister Modi. STAY TUNED."

That conversation, confirmed in February, came as India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was in Washington for talks, and was seen as a signal of warming bilateral ties.

Sarma's return to office marks his second consecutive term at the helm of Assam. The Bharatiya Janata Party, under his leadership, secured 82 of the 126 assembly seats under the National Democratic Alliance banner — a dominant performance that consolidates both his personal standing and the party's grip on the Northeast.

Addressing supporters after taking the oath, Sarma was characteristically bullish about what lies ahead. His first term, he said, was "just a trailer and the movie will unfold in the second term."

His first tenure was defined by an aggressive governance posture. The administration prioritised welfare delivery, infrastructure expansion and the protection of indigenous land rights. But several decisions drew sustained criticism — eviction drives against alleged encroachments, stricter enforcement of the Cattle Protection Act, a crackdown on child marriage, moves against polygamy, and the closure of government-run madrasas. The ruling dispensation defended these as necessary reforms; the opposition, principally the Indian National Congress, accused the government of targeting specific communities.

Corruption allegations also dogged Sarma's first term, particularly regarding his family's business dealings — claims he has consistently denied. A political row involving remarks made by Congress leader Pawan Khera about Sarma's wife escalated into a legal dispute that ultimately found mention in a Supreme Court order granting Khera relief.

The controversies have done little to erode his political standing. Sarma has held the Jalukbari assembly seat since 2001, and his career has spanned both of Assam's dominant political formations — the Congress, under former chief ministers Hiteswar Saikia and Tarun Gogoi, and later the BJP, which he joined in 2015 after a public falling-out with the Congress leadership.

His move to the BJP proved consequential well beyond Assam. He served as convenor of the North East Democratic Alliance and became a central figure in the party's expansion across the region. Born in Jorhat, Sarma holds advanced degrees in political science and law and practised at the Gauhati High Court before entering politics full-time.