India, Oct. 26 -- India's relations with China and the United States demand different kinds of balance. Along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the challenge is to hold ground while keeping military and diplomatic channels open. With Washington, it is to pursue trade and energy cooperation while preparing for shifts in US policy. In a conversation on Point Blank, Hindustan Times Executive Editor Shishir Gupta discussed these pressures with senior anchor Aayesha Varma, arguing that India's approach rests on strategic autonomy and a willingness to engage without surrendering its position.

The discussion began with remarks by the outgoing chief of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, who had referred to face-offs at multiple points in Arunachal ...