Akash is the best available option if we consider cheap, mass induction with effective technology. It has an intercepting range of 30 Km, is easy to produce and is accurate to pinpoint. If we can use the advantage of its low cost, we can practically cover entire northeast and east borders with it like a blanket. Remember, PLAAF believes in quantity and hence having an overwhelming number of short range SAMs would simply make PLAAF bombers and fighters think twice.
Now naturally since PLAAF's H-6 and J-11s won't be carrying nuclear bombs, I think 30 KM range is fine sufficient for interception which will have little or no impact from our border. Better than needlessly acquiring excess SPYDERs that are expensive and pointless to attack waves of medium tech fighters or even high tech ones. Akash is quality+quantity and that's the strategy we need with PLAAF. If IAF and IA can get over their obsession of foreign maal, I think DRDO can simple make extend Akash's range through slight modifications to as far as 100 KM away.
But commission-obsessed corrupt babus won't let indigenous programmes succeed to keep their foreign masters happy.