You have very little idea about the on-the-ground Indian sentiment about China.
There is admiration, there is a pretty strong urge in the private sector to equal if not exactly emulate, a recognition (grudging) that you guys leaped ahead of us in spite of being nearly at the same level not so long ago, and a background suspicion and concern about your military build-up, help to our enemies, outreach to our neighbors, and provocations at our border. And yes, the full understanding that we need to learn how to make our own weaponry, because what we have now is not going to be a sustainable base in a war. And we cannot be dependent on the whims of an external power. That realization is there in India. Completely.
Am sure nearly all Indians here will agree.
Obviously if you guys mouth off here, it will be free for all. Just giving you the real picture.
On the western power bit, on a personal level, I admire the way the Chinese did not get fully colonized like us and maintained a semblance of control, even though it ruined generations of your people.
Though on the military front, specific to WWII, while I do not in principle agree with our men who fought alongside the British, I do appreciate their bravery and contribution in saving India (and indirectly, both Korea and China) from the Japanese. Agree to disagree, but we helped the Americans as well, for their final push on first Okinawa and then the mainland.