Jammu, June 30 -- As Mao did to Jawaharlal Nehru in 1959-1962, Xi Jinping has thrown at Prime Minister Narendra Modi the biggest challenge in his public life.

Over the next few days, weeks, months, and years, he will take decisions that determine the strategic fate of his nation. And his own political legacy.

Reading his mind is an act of daring.

Over these six years he has built a formidable reputation of delivering the most stunning surprises, without anybody having an inkling.

Even on crucial strategic and foreign policy issues.

Remember his sudden stopover inPakistanon his way back from Kabul.

Gaming his responses over the Chinese provocations in Ladakh is complex, but there are pointers.

So, for once, we can read the main ques...