October 18, 2010: Vietnam, seeking allies against possible Chinese aggression, has signed a series of military accords with India. Vietnam has already sent ship building personnel to India for training, and now India will send technical experts to Vietnam to help the Vietnamese navy develop more effective methods for repairing their warships. Indians have been repairing modern warships for over a century, first as employees of British ship repair operations, and then for Indian ones when the British left in 1947. India will also help teach Vietnamese military personnel English. Indian and Vietnamese troops will work together in mountain and jungle warfare exercises. India hopes to sell weapons to Vietnam as well.

Vietnam is acquiring an impressive list of nuclear armed allies. Russia is now a major supplier of weapons to Vietnam, and is discussing returning to Cam Rahn Bay. France has been approached to supply high tech equipment and training for Vietnamese ground forces.

China considers Vietnam part of southern China. But despite centuries of military efforts, the Chinese could never keep Vietnam under control. Now Russia, India and France are arming, training and otherwise helping this wayward part of the motherland. China has not made open claims on Vietnam for over a century, but the animosity, and memories, are still there. And China was not happy about these other nuclear powers stepping into this family feud. But the fact of the matter is that an anti-Chinese coalition is forming in the region.