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[You are right in China has purposefully been moving a lot of troops and a lot of munitions across the entire border. That’s an incredible amount]

What’s there is peanuts compared to what two somewhat evenly-matched powers will spend fighting each other. WWII cost the US 50% of its economic output per year for 4 years. Relative to today’s economy, that’s $45T. That’s why they had to issue War Bonds. Whereas Iraq took 12 years from invasion to withdrawal and cost less than $1T.

https://www.cbo.gov/system/files?file=2018-10/54219-oco_spending.pdf

They might fight a big war, but it will be a rational and calculated decision, not something made over a skirmish. My guess is that Xi wants long-lasting fame, which can only be acquired by putting a few new provinces under his belt. If he thinks he can win at a low cost (i.e. Modi will cave), he will go for it. If he thinks it will cost millions of dead and $10T, he will back off. Because prosecuting wars distracts dictators from watching their backs, and there are many contenders for the throne. Xi himself occupies his present spot because rival factions that thought him unambitious, and an honest broker, promoted him to his position. Then he took office and purged them all.