The Indispensable Adversary: India’s Approach to China

India maintains a tense, militarized border with China, with tens of thousands of troops facing each other along the Himalayas years after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Despite this security competition, India's economy remains deeply dependent on Chinese imports for critical sectors like electronics, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy. New Delhi has shifted its policy to link border stability directly to the normalization of bilateral relations, attempting to compartmentalize security and economic issues. This approach tests whether a country with asymmetric, import-based dependence can manage a strategic rivalry without the same constraints faced by nations with deeper corporate integration in China. India's strategy involves restricting Chinese investment while still relying on Chinese goods, a balancing act that could validate a new model of managed rivalry if successful.