Foreign Secy Jaishankar advises India to take US Pres Donald Trump seriously

India should guard against “judging” US President Donald Trump in a “rush” and instead take him seriously, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Tuesday said.

Addressing an industry event in New Delhi, Jaishankar also pitched for building strong regional connectivity, which he said was of paramount interest and was set to get a boost in the near future.

Laying out the rules of engagement with Trump, Jaishankar said it was important to keep in mind that intentions do not always translate into outcomes as he spoke on a wide range of issues.

“I think what is important is to take him (Trump) seriously but also with a caveat that intentions are not always outcomes and even in our bilateral ties I would suggest that if there is a point to make at this stage, it is that don’t rush to judgement,” he said.

In making his case, Jaishankar referred to a section of the US media’s take that the “American Press took him literally but not seriously but public took him seriously but not literally.”

Suggesting that there was a perceptive shift across the world from multilateralism towards bilateralism against the backdrop of a global “uncertainty”, Jainshankar referred to the New Delhi’s policy of “neighbourhood first”.

“In the next few weeks and months we will see important interactions and agreements and certainly there is a case for India taking a much more generous, effective outreach to its immediate as well as extended neighbourhood and to develop a stronger regional identity and interest,” he said.