Is an India-Vietnam military alliance about to clash with a China-Pakistan one?

In this filepic, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang during a meeting at the presidential palace in Hanoi. Because of the recent issues in South China Sea, analysts say, it has encouraged a developing military partnership between Vietnam and India – a partnership many experts see as being aimed at countering China in much the same way as the China-Pakistan alliance is seen as countering India. - AFP photo

HONG KONG, Aug 27 (SCMP): When the Chinese navy carried out drills almost simultaneously in four sea regions this week, many were awed by the show of force – but few questioned the intended audience.

Experts were near unanimous in viewing the drills – in the South China Sea, East China Sea, the northern Yellow Sea and the Bohai Gulf – as Beijing’s response to what it sees as increased belligerence from the United States.