India Weekly: Security concerns with China still trump all else

President Trump’s tariff threats and public efforts to improve relations with Pakistan has fuelled increased commentary around whether India should attempt to improve its own relations with China as an economic and geopolitical hedge. There seems to be some sympathy for this approach within policy circles. Ultimately however, the big constraint on stronger relations is the view within India that China poses a threat to its national security. Indeed, a new source of tension is emerging following the start of construction on what will be the world’s largest hydropower dam in the Tibetan plateau.