India’s Harsh Vardhan Sringle highlights US stance on Jammu‑Kashmir

Former foreign secretary and Rajya Sabha member Harsh Vardhan Sringle praised U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor’s recent comment that Jammu and Kashmir is permanently part of India. Sringle said the declaration removes any lingering ambiguity about the region’s status on the world stage.

He pointed out that the United States has historically refrained from taking a firm line on Kashmir, preferring a balanced narrative shaped by United Nations discussions and its own ties with New Delhi and Islamabad.

What makes Gor’s statement distinctive, Sringle noted, is the ambassador’s proximity to the White House. Gor is a key adviser to the U.S. President and also handles diplomatic responsibilities for the entire South‑Central Asian belt, giving his words heightened relevance.

The parliamentarian recalled earlier visits by U.S. ambassadors, such as Blackwell and Ken Juster, after the abrogation of Article 370. Those trips, he said, underscored American support for India’s decisive move.

According to Sringle, the post‑370 era has seen Kashmir’s full political and economic absorption into the Indian mainstream. The region now enjoys the benefits of national development programmes, a booming tourism sector, and the prestige of hosting a G20 tourism working group.

He contrasted this progress with the situation in Pakistan‑administered Kashmir, where the United States observes limited civil liberties and sluggish growth. Sringle concluded that the U.S. message is unmistakable: Jammu and Kashmir is no longer an international dispute, and the world should acknowledge it as an undisputed part of India.