China often prefers to move quietly. Yet, as the world undergoes what many describe as the most profound transformation in a century, Beijing is steadily expanding its global footprint. The first few months of President Donald Trump's second term have rattled Washington's allies more than its adversaries. The biggest casualty of Trump's tariff wars and coercive tactics is the US-India strategic partnership. For two decades, successive US administrations propped up India as a counterweight to China. But Trump appears to have abandoned that approach, relentlessly criticising New Delhi for buying Russian oil and weapons and for "ripping off" the US with high tariffs.

As ties with Washington unravel, India seems to have hit the reset button with China. For the beleaguered Modi government, this appears to be a tactical hedge in the face of Trump's unpredictability. Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Beijing's special representative on border issues, visited New Delhi. It was his first trip to the........

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