STRENGTH AND IMPACT OF AUKUS

31 Jan STRENGTH AND IMPACT OF AUKUS

AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership between Australia UK and USA for the Indo Pacific region its aim is to share the nuclear submarines so that Australia can become one of the six nuclear submarine operating nations in the world however other five eyes nations like Canada, New Zealand are not part of it.

Key points

• Australia will acquire nuclear power submarines with help from the UK and the US.
• China has strongly criticised AUKUS and the submarine deal as promoting instability and stocking and arms race.
• This alliance is the most significant security arrangement between these three nations as it will also involve the sharing of cyber capability with applied artificial intelligence Quantum technologies and undersea technologies.
• It is different from quad as the four countries lack an official military relationship.
• Given the rising systematic challenge from China, Australia has shifted its long-standing policy against having nuclear submarines and the UK and the US have also shifted from their long-standing policy of sharing nuclear technology with only each other.
• However France has disliked the alliance and has ordered the recall of its ambassador to the US and Australia accusing them of field trial by negotiating defence partnership with the UK without informing European allies.

 Impact on India

• The AUKUS partnership strengthens the quad and gives more weight to important partners like India which provide the military balance in the indo-pacific region.
• AUKUS will accelerate the capabilities of the quad in fields like cyber security, artificial intelligence Quantum technology and advanced missiles.
• Any alliance  that benefits the multilateral structure opposed by China is a net strategic positive for India.

 Concern

• It will lead to a change of power in the Indo Pacific.
• It might possibly upset the balance of power in the region and set off new tension to India’s East.
• The alliance could eventually lead to a crowding of nuclear submarines in abhi Tamanna meri in the eastern Indian ocean eroding India’s regional pre-eminence.
• France, a big NATO ally  to  the US and Australia, considered this partnership as an act of betrayal.

Way forward

• The AUKUS partnership may prompt India to persuade France on a deal for procuring the nuclear attack submarines.
• The recent setback from Australia may spur France to focus afresh on partners such as India.
• As a major indo-pacific power France is an important part of the regional security calculus.
• Mini lateral partnership include the quad and AUKUS ads more partner to their lines and promote faster of multilateralism

 Conclusion

• In tandem with the US and the UK Australia is all set to play a more robust role in ensuring peace and stability in the indo-pacific region.
• In absence of any giant Alliance specifically for the Indo Pacific region, partnerships like AUKUS are likely to come into play.
• Meanwhile,India can look forward to France as a possibly bigger ally  especially when the latter has had a setback from its own allies.
• Indian friends now have a better chance at mutually cooperating, economically as well as for ensuring security in the indo-pacific.

Anshum Verma

Plutus IAS Current Affairs Team Member