national security is at stake

The economic stakes are equally high. India-China bilateral trade surpassed $136 billion in 2023, underscoring deep economic interdependence. However, India has shown a willingness to leverage this relationship when national security is at stake. The ban on over 300 Chinese apps following the Galwan Valley clash inflicted significant losses on Chinese tech giants. A full-scale conflict would trigger further economic decoupling, with India restricting investments and operations of major Chinese companies. The diplomatic fallout would be equally severe, casting China as an expansionist power at a time when its global image is already under strain due to tensions in the South China Sea and human rights issues in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. สล็อต