New Delhi:
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday brushed aside Pakistan’s summoning of a top US diplomat over Ambassador Sergio Gor’s comment that Jammu and Kashmir is an “important part of India”.
Randhir Jaiswal, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, addressed a bi-weekly press briefing in Delhi and said both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and indivisible parts of India. “They were, they are, and they will remain so,” he emphasised.
In response to a question on Pakistan’s diplomatic protest over Gor’s remarks, Jaiswal said he didn’t need to comment further on Islamabad’s “frustration”.
“I see no reason to comment on Pakistan’s frustration. This is what I have to say,” he said.
What Sergio Gor Said
Sergio Gor, who is visiting Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, said the union territory — over which New Delhi and Islamabad fought several wars — is an “important part of India”.
Also read: “J&K Important Part Of India”: US Ambassador Sergio Gor In Srinagar
After meeting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, he remarked: “This is an important part of India, and so I’m here visiting for the first time. It’s an incredibly beautiful place, and so I’m thrilled to be here, thrilled to see this place. We had a very good meeting, and we have some follow-ups that we’ll take back to Washington, back to Delhi”.
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
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 19, 2026
Currently, the US has a Level 4 “do not travel” advisory for its citizens. Gor said it can be reviewed in the future.
“So, we will be looking at if the travel warning that is imposed… is something that should be downgraded. This is a beautiful area, I think a lot of Americans would enjoy coming here and seeing the beauty and opportunity that exists here,” he said.
Peeved, Islamabad summoned the US Charge d’Affaires and protested. It claimed Gor’s remark on Jammu and Kashmir was “factually incorrect”, which contradicted Washington’s longstanding position.
With inputs from ANI
