At a time when tension between China ,US grows over trade sanctions, India's giant neighbor wants more business and trade cooperation with New Delhi.

Faced with an aggressive Trump administration bearing down down on it on trade issues and rumbles against its economic -political programme with Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad scrapping OBOR mega projects, China seems inclined to mend fences rather than flex muscles with immediate neighbors.

Though China plans to keep India hemmed in by Pakistan and check its strategic space may remain unaltered, the current phase may provide India an opportunity to press its northern neighbor on issues such as entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group and a ban Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar.

Limiting US influence with India is an obvious concern for China which has itself sought to expand its footprint in the India Ocean region. As India negotiates terms with the US over issues like oil imports from Iran, rough weather in US-China ties can have its benefits even though the larger impact on the the global economy could be worrisome.

(Featured image : The Indian Express)