Keep playing ball, as US plays Pakman

'The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools.... They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!' Very little has changed in Rawalpindi since the 45th US president tweeted that on the first day of 2018. But the 47th US president - also Donald Trump - is a born-again Pakman. Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir reportedly attending the 250th US Army Day (and 79th Trump birthday) celebrations tomorrow in Washington, highlights that singular change. Goaded on by Trump's 'Pak Pack' like Centcom chief Michael Kurilla, and being shown an ad on the benefits of being a US client state, Washington's Pakistan's-a-phenomenal-partner cheerleaders are back in business - with a little help from their crypto friends. Whichever way one looks at it, not good for India-US pickleball.

Given that invoices-driven Mar-a-Lago rules are at play, India must - like, say, Japan and Canada - develop a modified game plan. Trump has made no secret of putting short-term cost-benefit at the front and centre of his foreign policy. Instead of skulking, India can continue engaging the US, sealing deals, calling each other 'good friends'.

At the same time, it should get cracking with multilateral network-building time. As on terrorism, New Delhi mustn't shy away from taking positions, working with partners, including emerging ones. It can leverage institutions it created, like International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and its influential diaspora. There should be another change of mind vis-a-vis Pakistan, hopefully before the 48th POTUS arrives.