US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has underlined the growing breadth of cooperation between India and the United States, pointing to expanding collaboration in defence, information technology and healthcare following a recent conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.

Speaking at an event in Kolkata marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, Gor described India as a key strategic partner for Washington and stressed Kolkata's importance within the broader US engagement with India. He said the city and West Bengal occupy an important place in the relationship between the two countries.

Highlighting the defence partnership, Gor said the two nations had recently conducted joint military activities involving more than 500 personnel during the Tarang Shakti exercise. He also noted that F-35 fighter aircraft had been present in Rajasthan for the first time, describing it as another sign of growing defence cooperation.

On technology and investment, Gor pointed to increasing business activity in both directions. He said companies from the United States were expanding their manufacturing presence in India, while investments linked to India were also contributing to economic activity in the United States. According to him, these developments present significant opportunities for both countries.

Discussing healthcare ties, the ambassador noted that the United States imports a substantial quantity of generic medicines from India. He said this reflected American confidence in India's pharmaceutical sector and illustrated the strength of bilateral cooperation in healthcare.

Referring to recent high-level engagement, Gor revealed that Modi and Trump had spoken the previous week. While not providing details of the discussion, he suggested that further developments in India-US relations could follow, remarking, 'stay tuned for what comes next'.

West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal, who attended the event, said the celebrations brought together representatives from industry, trade, commerce, the media and other sectors. He described the occasion as an important platform for strengthening engagement between the United States and West Bengal.

Agarwal also said the US Embassy was placing considerable emphasis on Kolkata, noting the continued presence of the US Consulate General in the city and expressing the view that Washington was seeking wider cooperation with the West Bengal government and the people of the state across multiple areas.

Earlier in the day, Gor visited several Durga Puja pandals across Kolkata. He praised the festival's creativity, community spirit and welcoming atmosphere, saying he now understood why the celebration holds such special significance for millions of people.

The visit forms part of Gor's wider outreach across India since assuming office as US Ambassador. His recent travels have included Srinagar, Leh, Rajasthan and Amritsar, reflecting continued diplomatic engagement with different regions of the country.

ANI