The only way of interpreting this is that China is pushing the envelope on the vexed boundary issue that has remained unresolved for decades.

China is a difficult country to manage. And if you have China as a contiguous neighbour then you need extra-terrestrial powers to manage your bilateral relations with that country.

No one would be realizing this home truth more than Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he confabulates later today with Xi Jinping, the third Chinese President to have visited India. Hours before he wades into formal talks with the visiting Chinese President, this truth must be galling Modi, particularly at a time when the Chinese have not only carried out two major incursions into Indian territory in the past ten days or so, but have also brazenly launched their third incursion, to coincide with Xi's arrival in India.

This is typical of the Chinese.

The only way of interpreting this is that Beijing is pushing the envelope on the vexed boundary issue that has remained unresolved for decades.

The unmistakable signal that Beijing is sending to India through these well-choreographed border incursions is that the boundary dispute is an unfinished agenda which better be resolved as soon as possible. It is also a signal to India that the Sino-Indian boundary dispute is not going to be resolved any time soon even though the two sides are swearing to take their economic /business/investment relationship to a new high.

After all, when you are dealing with China, the quantum of bilateral trade is no insurance against political setbacks. This is best demonstrated by the China-Japan relationship. China and Japan had a bilateral trade of $300 billion when China started to push the envelope by playing the South China Sea card.

Relations between China and Japan have been inimical despite having such a high volume of bilateral trade.

Furthermore, the country is also trying to signal that no one else but China can help India in resolving border issues, and is making the point that India’s dalliances with powers like Japan, Vietnam and the United States will not help.

Needless to say, the Chinese tea leaves need to be read in the second clause.

The message for the Indian government seems to be simple. No matter how much your trade and business ties are flourishing with China, you have to deal with China on its own terms.

Bilateral trade is immaterial as China can extract its pound of flesh on political issues if such issues are not settled for long.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in fact once asked this pithy question by his Japanese counterpart during the former’s visit to Tokyo for a bilateral summit some years ago: 'How do you deal with China?'

Singh’s response can be paraphrased like this: “Keep up economic engagement with China but stay engaged with them on most contentious issues without pushing such issues on the back burner.”

This is a good mantra to deal with China. PM Modi is doing well in pursuing the same tactics in dealing with the country.

The signals from China are loud and clear. The Chinese want warm and friendly ties with India but on their own terms. China, for example, wants India to stop playing a strategic game with Beijing by cozying up to its detractors like Japan, the United States, Vietnam, Philippines and others. The list is expandable as per China’s wish.

Again, from China’s perspective, India needs to emerge as an understanding and accommodating neighbour, not a strategic rival who is out to weave its own counter string of pearls against China.

It is notable that China started needling India in a big way with its three policies – more ambitious border incursions, stapled visas for Indian citizens domiciled in the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, and pushing some twenty thousand of its troops disguised as ‘construction workers’ in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir – only after India, under the UPA government started courting the US and went ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The message from China still remains the same. With the three above-mentioned pin pricks, China is trying to tell New Delhi what it can do to throw spanners in India’s works. More importantly, the Chinese message for India is: “Fall in line or else…”

In other words, China will continue to pin-prick India till it realizes that a nearby neighbour (China) is a better bet for India than a distant friend (Japan and the US).

PM Modi must be well aware of this conundrum. It remains to be seen how he deals with China. Modi’s strategy will be known later today when he holds delegation-level talks with Xi.

It will be interesting to see what the Modi government agrees to in the Joint Statement that would be released after the Modi-Xi talks and whether it contains a reference to India owing allegiance to the so-called One China policy.

The Modi government has already made it clear to China that it will reciprocate its One China policy only when China demonstrates that it agrees to One India. The proof of the pudding is in eating. China respects strength; and Modi is viewed as a strong leader!

The writer is FirstPost Consulting Editor and a strategic analyst who tweets @Kishkindha.