On the roof of the world, young soldiers from two nuclear-armed powers are killing each other with stones, rods and their fists. Details are murky. But one thing is certain: The few inches or feet China may gain in each such incident isn’t worth the ground it’s losing in the larger Sino-Indian relationship, writes Mihir Sharma.
- China’s calculus is complicated. India needs to be reminded of its place, but not so harshly that it seeks out the embrace of the United States.
- That’s proving an impossible balance to strike. From India’s point of view, China has been nothing but trouble.
- This has resulted in an unspoken but unmistakable swing toward the U.S., particularly in terms of defense cooperation.
While India may pose little threat to China today, one day it will.
