US Envoy Sergio Gor Visits Manipur On Two-Day Visit, Meets CM, Governor In Imphal

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Friday called on Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh in Imphal during a two-day visit to the state, officials said. During the day, Gor also visited Kangla Fort, the ancient capital of the erstwhile Manipur kingdom, and Khwairamband Keithel, the all-women-run market.

In a social media post, Singh said, "It was a pleasure to meet the Ambassador of United States to India, Sergio Gor, at my Secretariat today."

Taking to X, Gor wrote, "Appreciated the opportunity to meet Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla @BhallaAjay26. We discussed the importance of continued U.S.-India engagement. @LokBhavManipur"

"Enjoyed hearing from the Chief Minister about his vision for Manipur. We exchanged ideas about how the US and India can work together to expand economic ties. The Chief Minister very kindly invited me back for the Manipur Sangai Festival," he added.

The visit comes as ethnic and tribal tensions in Manipur continue to grip the Northeastern state.

Sergio Gor also took a boat ride on Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the Northeast region, in Bishnupur district on Saturday.

Congress takes a dig

Reacting to the development, Congress leader Pawan Khera took a dig at the BJP, saying, "Even the Americans remember Manipur. But Modi doesn’t. Imagine!!"

During the meeting, Gor hailed Manipur's natural beauty and enquired about the number of tourists visiting the state.

"He (Gor) is very happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focusing on development of North East India," an official release said.

The CM also invited the US Ambassador to the upcoming Manipur Sangai Festival in late November, emphasising that Manipur is home to 36 communities, it said.