Beneath the veneer of friendly overtures lies deep suspicion. India cannot ignore that Beijing continues to back Pakistan militarily and diplomatically, most recently during ‘Operation Sindoor,’ where China was accused of providing strategic support to Pakistan at a time when India was actively engaged in defending its security interests. India’s approach in Tianjin, therefore, is seen by many analysts as pragmatic diplomacy rather than genuine trust-building. India is well aware that China has repeatedly blocked its efforts to designate Pakistan-based terrorists at the UN, expanded military infrastructure near the LAC, and pushed forward with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), parts of which undermine India’s sovereignty in Jammu and Kashmir.