AUKUS
The AUKUS refers to the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US. The defence pact aims to preserve, security and stability in the Indo-pacific. The defence pact will also provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The three partners have agreed to cooperate on the development of critical technologies like cyber security, artificial intelligence, and undersea domains. Australia, the UK, and the US share the values of freedom and democracy and desire to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. This move by the US will ensure deterrence against China in the Indian Ocean region.
The Royal Australian Navy will get a new fleet of nuclear submarines. The submarines will be assembled in Adelaide. Australia has made it clear that it will abide by the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT). It will fulfil all obligations as a non-nuclear-weapon state including the inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
China had been bullying smaller countries in the South China sea. It is paying no heed to cybersecurity breaches originating from China. China is also playing unfairly in trade practices with other countries. In addition, the OBOR is getting nations into a debt trap and the handling of the Coronavirus by the Beijing led to its spread in the whole world. On all these issues China has remained defiant and arrogant. It has been unwilling to engage productively in diplomatic talks.
China cannot match the underwater capabilities of the US. The nuclear submarines will give an added advantage to Australia in the Indian Ocean. It will be able to conduct longer patrols and supremacy in the Indian Ocean. Thus, China sharply criticised AUKUS calling it an exclusive grouping that has no future. China believes that AUKUS will undermine regional stability and aggravate the arms race and hurt international nuclear non-proliferation efforts.
The announcement of AUKUS angered France because Australia cancelled a contract to build 12 advance conventional submarines by the French DCNS company. In addition, France plays a strategic role in the Indo-Pacific owing to its overseas territories in the region. Moreover, the region’s increasing share of world trade and investment combined with growing maritime trade traffic has enticed France to be a major player in the strategies. Therefore, France felt it should have been a part of AUKUS as a European ally.
The US ruled out adding India and Japan in the new trilateral security alliance AUKUS, wherein India and Japan are a part of the Quad along with Australia. Japan welcomed the AUKUS security alliance. India remained neutral by saying that India does not wish to link AUKUS to India’s interests.