Since US President Donald Trump threatened the additional tariffs, India has focused on mending ties with China while making no public overtures towards the US. Ahead of that, India and China agreed to restart direct flights, stopped after the border clashes of 2020. China opposes Washington's steep tariffs on India and will "firmly stand with India", Chinese ambassador to India Xu Feihong said last week. Capital Economics sees India's overtures to China as an attempt to build a geopolitical hedge but sees limits to an improvement in the relationship. And the biggest constraint on stronger relations is the view within India that China poses a threat to national security,” he wrote.
