US vs China: India's high-stakes economic trade walk toward self-reliance

As many commentators have pointed out, India’s manufacturing sector stands to gain from the US–China trade war. What is less discussed is that this opportunity will require a tightrope walk by Indian policymakers. That’s because both the US and China are increasingly following the principle of the enemy’s friend also being an enemy.

 

The US wants trade partners who can supply goods that were earlier sourced from China. But it is also clear that it will scrutinise the “country of origin” very strictly. It does not want products that are fully — or even mostly — made in China to