Inside India newsletter: Trump-Xi meeting could test India’s positioning as China counterweight

Hello, this is Priyanka Salve, writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to the latest edition of " Inside India " — your one-stop destination for stories and developments from the world's fastest-growing large economy. For more than two decades, consecutive U.S. administrations have seen India as a counterbalance to China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific. But the current U.S administration's stances seem to favour Beijing while punishing India. This week, I unpack how the U.S.-China summit could impact New Delhi's equation with Washington. Read on! Any thoughts on today's newsletter? Share them with the team. The big story U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands as they depart following a bilateral meeting at Gimhae Air Base on October 30, 2025 in Busan, South Korea. Andrew Harnik | India, whose significance to the U.S. foreign policy has been shaped by frictions between Washington and Beijing, will be keeping a close eye on the meeting between President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. When the summit between the world's top two economies begins later in the day, India will be hoping that Trump's softening stance toward China does not lead to a bargain that diminishes New Delhi's role in the Indo-Pacific, experts said. …