A few years back, interacting with a Chinese delegation from their foreign office, I asked: India wants good relations with China, but does China? And if it does, what is the evidence of that? This piece by @samirsaran articulates the answer that was always staring us in the face https://twitter.com/orfonline/status/1286676007865335809

To my mind, the answer on how to tackle China lies in the last point he makes about unpredictability of response, or the unknown unknowns. Second, the point about ‘no way, Huawei’ and about app ban is important and not to be scoffed at. This is of course not the sum & substance

of the response, but it is a critical component as also a starting point. Finally, ‘Ekla chalo’...when India shunned BRI, I remember the Chinese no. 2 (now CG in Karachi and a CCP member, even more powerful than the Ambassador) threatening India. It was the first time I saw such

rank bad behaviour from a ‘diplomat’. Even the Pakistanis are better behaved. The guy of course got a huge push back from the people in that room - all top officials, some serving, others retired but plugged into the system. They told the guy where he got off.

The meeting ended on an unpleasant note but the Chinese were told to go take a hike. Of course some low life’s from India did go for the BRI conference but these guys are the Pakistani advocates in India who get their faces blackened (from ink and who can’t win a RWAnelection).

What @samirsaran says about India digging in her heels, and even as others were genuflecting before Eleven Jinping, India stood up to be counted, he is right on the money. Today others have also woken up. This is the way to lead & set the agenda, not by bowing before the bully.