In a conflict with Pakistan, if China steps in, the Indians will always have a finger on the button that will escalate the war to a state that China would not want to go. China will not risk pushing India to a corner given the potent weapons that even when it deliver s 0.01% of what is claimed will offset development by decades.
Pakistan always tends to believe that some other country will do the dirty job and more often than not they have suffered because of over reliance on others.
AWACS will change the war scenario and the country that can use network centric warfare will have the edge. Indian avionics is something that many here do not consider as an important part but I believe the home grown avionics and advanced integration of systems and missiles will be a very important factor and can be the difference between winner and the loser. The Phalcon is too great an asset to be risked but if India even manages to operate this asset in certain areas of the war theatre, Pakistan can just give up for the range is simply unmatched and every counter strike wave after wave will get swatted. Count on Akash SAM to take out a few mosquitoes.