India and the Philippines have held their first joint naval exercises in the South China Sea, marking a new alliance aimed at countering China’s growing presence in the region. The move is seen as a response to an increasingly disengaged America and comes after Beijing claimed much of the waters as its own. Despite Chinese vessels shadowing them, the drills were deemed successful by officials, sending a strong message to China.
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-08-05/how-a-new-asia-alliance-is-challenging-china