New Delhi [India], November 6 : Former Deputy National Security Advisor and Ambassador Pankaj Saran said that it was a "historic result" and also one of the most "consequential in contemporary history," following Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential polls on Wednesday.
The former deputy NSA noted the scale of the shift, noting that the election had been a significant turning point in both domestic and international contexts.
Saran highlighted that despite projections showing that it could have been a neck-to-neck battle between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate as well as President Designate Donald Trump in this election, there was a complete Republican sweep in both electoral college and popular votes.
He pointed out that the Republican Party's performance had surpassed expectations, with key battleground states, such as Pennsylvania and Georgia, swinging in their favour. He further remarked that this outcome marks a substantial victory for Trump, with widespread support for his candidacy across multiple demographics.
"It is a historic result and one of the most consequential in contemporary history because there was so much at stake. So I think as far as the result and the domestics of the result are concerned, obviously, all the projections proved to be wrong because almost everyone was predicting a neck-to-neck battle," Saran said.
"But what we are seeing is almost a complete Republican sweep of the electoral college and the popular vote; you're seeing the big states of Pennsylvania and Georgia going to the Republicans. The Democrats have not been able to rest any particular state from the Republicans. So internally, I think, it's a massive vote in favour of Trump. And that's quite remarkable. In terms of international implications, they are also equally significant; they are going to be very serious and they are going to have a major impact on the international situation," he added.
In terms of international implications, Saran noted that Trump's win could lead to substantial changes in foreign policy, particularly regarding the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Middle East.
"When you look at the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump has said repeatedly that he will solve it within 24 hours. He'll put a stop to the war. So I think we are in for very huge changes on the Ukraine issue," Saran stated, suggesting that the international community could see a shift in how the war is approached under a second Trump administration.
On the issues in the Middle East, Saran indicated that Trump's past support for Israel would likely continue and suggested that the situation could become more challenging for Iran.
"On the Gaza and the Israel conflict, again, he has not been very vocal, but his support for Israel has been there. I think Iran is going to feel the heat with the Trump administration. But Israel is definitely going to feel more secure. The amazing thing is even a state like Michigan, which had a large Arab population, which should have gone to the Democrats, has been won by the Republicans. So I think there was a lot of anger against Biden also," Saran said.
Additionally, Saran stated that the outcome of the election could bring shifts in the dynamics of US relations with China, with China watching Trump's return to power with caution, given his earlier policies on tariffs and trade.
"The third, I think, actor who's really watching this very carefully are the Chinese. And I think it's very clear that the Chinese are going to be a little nervous because of Trump's record in his first presidency and what he has been saying about China, particularly on tariffs," he added.
Donald Trump has officially won the US Presidential Election, becoming the 47th US President after he crossed the 270-majority mark with his win in the battleground state of Wisconsin.
According to CNN, this will take his tally to 276 electoral college votes, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the process, as counting continues for the rest of the states.
Trump had already won in key battleground states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia in a historic political comeback, recapturing the White House following an election loss in 2020.
Notably, this is going to be only the second instance of a president serving two non-consecutive terms in the White House.