Part of International Relations — India and the World. Common notes for UPSC Mains GS-II.
UPSC
📌 Background & Key Features
Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2016); one of India’s most trusted defence partners, sharing concerns over Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.
India provides defence lines of credit, naval training, and (as of 2026) BrahMos missile exports; both cooperate on oil exploration blocks in the South China Sea despite Chinese objections.
📰 Current Affairs Linkage (2025-26)
May 2026: Vietnam confirmed as the third ASEAN buyer of the BrahMos missile (~$629 million deal), alongside a broader Philippines-Vietnam "enhanced strategic partnership" reshaping regional security alignments against China.
