US Ambassador Sergio Gor has warned that people who publicly use slogans such as “Death to America” should expect greater scrutiny if they later apply for a US visa.
Speaking at an Economic Times event, Gor said countries have the right to determine who is granted entry and pointed to India’s own visa screening practices.
“The days of you tweeting ‘Death to America’ and then showing up asking for a US visa are over,” Gor said. He added that India similarly asks applicants questions during the visa process and has the right to deny entry.
Gor’s remarks came while discussing US visa policies and the administration’s approach to immigration screening.
The US envoy also highlighted growing cooperation between India and the United States in space exploration. He said NASA had invited ISRO to participate in future missions aimed at returning humans to the Moon.
“NASA just invited ISRO to join our space missions to get back to the moon,” Gor said, adding that India had the capability to participate in such missions.
Gor also criticised sections of the Indian media over what he described as inaccurate reporting. He said some reports were “nowhere close to the mark” and compared the situation with concerns over misinformation in the US.
Addressing reports about US President Donald Trump and a proposed 100 per cent tariff on Indian goods, Gor said the White House had not been seen publicly advocating such a measure.
The ambassador also gave an account of a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump, claiming that India’s Ministry of External Affairs had requested that the media not ask questions after the meeting.
According to Gor, Trump initially agreed to the request but later invited reporters to ask questions, turning the interaction into what the envoy described as a 45-minute press conference.
The Indian government and the Ministry of External Affairs have not officially responded to Gor’s account.