On January 11, China fired a ground-based ballistic missile into space to destroy one of its own weather satellites. It was not a great technological leap for China, except that it proved that China had missile guidance capability accurate enough to hit a small moving target 530 miles away. But what China did was to put the US on notice that it would not have a free run for its military in space.
India-China relations have improved mainly due to mutual political restraint and due to the focus in both countries on their respective economic growth. But India-US relations have improved due to shared strategic interests. What's being attempted with China is to arrive at a modus vivendi with a neighbour and a peer, whereas what’s being attempted with the US is a strategic partnership.
