Simultaneous balancing and engagement with China

India and China held multiple diplomatic engagements in late July 2026, including a meeting between external affairs minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Manila on July 22.

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri met Chinese vice-minister Hua Chunying in Beijing on July 27 to discuss border peace and tranquillity.

India's ambassador in Beijing met a Chinese vice-minister on July 30 to discuss trade and market access, with Indian pharmaceuticals reportedly on the agenda.

Indian policy debates center on whether to balance China militarily or deepen economic engagement, but the article argues India is pursuing both simultaneously.