S. Jaishankar: The Diplomat Who Read the Room Before He Read the Terms
How S. Jaishankar's handling of the 2017 Doklam standoff and his book The India Way reveal Political Awareness in action — understanding power, listening across stakeholders, and finding outcomes both sides can live with.

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By Avinash Chate — Maharashtra’s #1 Corporate Trainer & Motivational Speaker. .