Illegal and outrageous detention of Indian passenger in Shanghai shows India’s strategy of ‘managing’ China is not working

China’s detention of Prema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh, exposes Beijing’s calculated attempt to challenge India’s sovereignty and signal dominance in bilateral ties. The incident highlights China’s growing assertiveness and willingness to use provocative tactics while expecting minimal retaliation from New Delhi, which remains constrained by economic and strategic limitations. In contrast, China has aggressively confronted Japan over far milder remarks on Taiwan, revealing a stark asymmetry in Beijing’s behaviour toward regional rivals. India’s cautious response underscores its limited leverage, raising doubts about the effectiveness of its strategy to “manage” China as Beijing tests boundaries with increasing confidence.