India’s foreign secretary S. Jaishankar has spoken against relentless villification of US President Donald Trump over his controversial policies.
“Don’t demonise Trump, analyse Trump. He represents a thought process. It’s not a momentary expression,” Jaishankar said during a discussion on “Political change and economic uncertainties” at the Gateway Dialogue event, co-hosted by the ministry of external affairs.
Trump has been at the receiving end of media over his controversial immigration policy.
Targetting Pakistan over its alleged terror activities, Jaishankar said,” Islamabad needs to shut down “terrorism factory” and there is now international concern about it.
Jaishankar said that western countries may not be open about Pakistan and terrorism problem but they have concerns.
“Western countries may not be open about Pakistan and terrorism problem but they have concerns. The issue really here is whether Pakistan is willing to take fundamental steps. They need to shut down terrorism factory,” he said.
“The thinking on Pakistan is necessarily security centric because the fact is we can live in a situation of very little threat but not in a situation of terrorism on and off, which will be the case as long as the factory keeps running,” he said.
Asserting that India has not given up on SAARC, he said it will keep looking for other opportunities for regional integration “since SAARC is stuck”.
Speaking on ties with China, Jaishankar said “it does not help to duck issues” and admitted that there was a need to invest more to manage the relationship better.
