Not long ago, China was the villain of choice in much of India’s public discourse.

The 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, in which both sides lost soldiers in hand-to-hand combat over their disputed Himalayan border, changed Indian public sentiment almost overnight.

From WeChat to TikTok, Chinese apps disappeared from Indian app stores. Investment rules tightened. Television debates grew more jingoistic after arch-rival Pakistan used Chinese-supplied jets and missiles in a three-day conflict with India in May last year.

In December, Chinese state media lashed out at a coming Bollywood film, then titled The Battle of Galwan, for allegedly “distorting historical facts”. New Delhi reportedly defended the film on the grounds of “artistic freedom”.

But sentiment has shifted in recent months.

This matters because Moscow is once again advancing its long-held vision of a Russia-India-China strategic triangle, an idea that hinges on easing tensions between Asia’s two biggest powers.

The film has since been renamed and its release delayed due to reshoots aimed at softening its portrayal of China. Another film based on the 2020 conflict has been quietly shelved, with its producer saying he was advised to avoid negative portrayals of China.