US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has voiced support for President Donald Trump’s comments about India’s electoral system, citing the country’s 2024 Lok Sabha elections while urging the US Congress to approve the SAVE America Act.
Gor endorsed Trump’s remarks in a post on X, saying the US president was “absolutely correct” and highlighting the scale of India’s general election, in which hundreds of millions of voters participated under an identity-based voting system.
Sergio Gor Highlights India’s Election Model
Gor’s comments came soon after Trump once again raised the issue of voter identification requirements in the United States.
Referring to India’s 2024 general election, Trump claimed that around 646 million people voted and that less than 1% of ballots were cast by mail. He also said voters in India were required to present valid photo identification.
Trump further referred to an alleged conversation involving India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. According to Trump, Kumar had questioned how elections could be conducted in the US without requiring voters to show a valid photo ID.
Gor used the comparison to reinforce the Trump administration’s argument that stricter voter identification rules should be introduced in the United States.
What Is the SAVE America Act?
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE, Act is aimed at tightening voter-registration and voting requirements for federal elections in the US.
The legislation has been promoted by Trump as an election-integrity measure. Its supporters argue that stronger verification requirements would help ensure that only eligible US citizens participate in federal elections.
The proposed law includes requirements related to proof of citizenship and voter identification during federal election registration.
The Trump administration has also backed measures intended to limit the use of mail-in ballots, although the proposal includes exceptions for situations such as illness, disability, military service and travel.
Another provision would require states to take steps to identify and remove non-citizens from federal voter-registration rolls.
Trump has repeatedly urged both Republicans and Democrats in Congress to support the legislation, presenting voter identification as a fundamental safeguard for the US electoral process.
India’s 2024 Election Becomes Part of US Voter ID Debate
India’s general election has emerged as a prominent example in the American debate over election procedures because of its enormous scale.
The 2024 Lok Sabha election was conducted across seven phases. According to India’s Election Commission, approximately 642 million voters participated in the election, which the poll body described as a world record.
The overall voter turnout stood at 65.79%.
Trump’s reference to India focuses on the country’s use of voter identification alongside its relatively limited use of postal ballots compared with the US.
However, India and the United States have different electoral systems, laws and procedures, meaning comparisons between the two countries remain part of a broader political debate in Washington.
Gor’s Statement Adds Diplomatic Weight to Trump’s Argument
Gor’s public backing is notable because it comes from the US ambassador serving in India and directly links India’s election experience to a domestic US policy debate.
By pointing to the participation of hundreds of millions of Indian voters, Gor sought to underscore the Trump administration’s argument that voter identification requirements can be implemented even in elections conducted on an enormous scale.
The comments are likely to keep the issue of voter ID and the SAVE Act at the centre of the ongoing US political discussion over election security, citizenship verification and access to voting.