Theme:
- In September 2021, AUKUS – a trilateral security partnership among Australia (AU), the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) was announced.
What is AUKUS:
- AUKUS was formed by AU, UK, US to support each other in security and defence interests. It also includes co-operation in undersea capabilities and cyber capabilities.
- The grouping announced its commitment to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific in the long term. Even though China was not mentioned directly, everyone is of the opinion that the alliance was formed to counter China’s growing economic, political and military influence in the Indo-pacific region.
Benefits of AUKUS:
- AUKUS can complement Quad in countering China’s increasing military presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
- Under the pact, Australia starts building nuclear-powered submarines with the help of technology provided by the US. This will result in a significant improvement in Australia’s defence capabilities, which will help in countering China’s push to modernize its defence capabilities.
- The technology transfer from the US can generate huge opportunities for businesses in Australia.
- AUKUS has the potential to create hundreds of high-skilled employment opportunities.
Challenges:
- There are fears that AUKUS may overshadow Quad.
- As Australia cancelled a five-year-old contract with France to build diesel-power submarines and made a deal with the US to build nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS partnership, Australia and France relations have deteriorated.
- A few countries are apprehensive about the increasing military presence and arms race in the Indo-pacific region.
Conclusion:
AUKUS is very beneficial for upholding democracy in the Indo-Pacific region. It can complement Quad in countering China’s growing economic, political, and military influence in the Indo-pacific region.
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References:
- FRP Explains: AUKUS vs QUAD
- Aukus: UK, US and Australia launch pact to counter China
- The unspoken risk of Quad and AUKUS: A bigger arms race in the Indo-Pacific
- AUKUS trilateral may benefit India
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