AUKUS – ITERNATIONAL
News: Australia to buy U.S. nuclear submarines
under AUKUS
What's in the news?
● Australia
has unveiled plans to buy up to five
U.S. nuclear-powered submarines (With a U.S. Virginia-class nuclear
submarine moored behind the trio's podium), then built a new model with U.S.
and British technology under an ambitious plan to bulk up Western muscle across
the Asia-Pacific in the face of a rising China.
Key takeaways:
● Submarines
powered by nuclear reactors though conventionally armed, the biggest single
investment in Australia's defence capability "in all of history."
● The
submarines are expected to be equipped
with cruise missiles.
Advantages of nuclear-powered submarines:
● Capability
to reach far out into the ocean and launch attacks.
● Nuclear propulsion,
being completely independent of the air, does not need the surface frequently.
● Operate
at high speed for long periods of time.
● The
current generations of nuclear submarines do not need to be refueled throughout
their 25-year lifespans.
Impacts on Global politics:
1. IAEA's warning:
● The
UN nuclear watchdog has to ensure that
"no proliferation risks" will come from the deal.
● The
legal obligations of the parties and the non-proliferation aspects are
paramount.
2. Investment:
● Significant
investments in all three industrial bases of the countries.
3. Regional Security:
● The
AUKUS partnership has been perceived as a challenge
to the security and stability of the region, particularly by China.
4. Impacts for India:
● India
has significant defense industries and could potentially impact the ability to
sell defense equipment to Australia.
5. Diplomatic Implications:
● It
is viewed as a diplomatic setback
for countries such as India, Japan which have traditionally been seen as key
allies of the United States in the region.
WAY FORWARD:
1. Strengthening Quad:
● India
should leverage the Quad to promote regional stability and balance of power,
which could provide a counterbalance to AUKUS
2. Ensuring the Interest of Smaller Countries:
● India
should take a leadership role in promoting a cooperative and inclusive approach
to regional security issues.
3.
Promoting greater regional integration
and connectivity.
4. Exploring Opportunities for Collaboration:
● India
can seek collaborations with AUKUS countries in areas such as maritime
security, cybersecurity, and intelligence sharing.
● India
can explore opportunities for collaboration and technology transfer with the
AUKUS countries.
Thus,
AUKUS provides an opportunity to the U.S. to place proxy submarine forces to
limit China’s forays, especially in the Pacific Ocean. AUKUS is a security grouping, unlike QUAD, which is a diplomatic
grouping and could complement the efforts of QUAD in the region of
Indo-Pacific.
Go back to basics:
AUKUS:
● AUKUS
is a trilateral security pact between
Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States for the Indo-Pacific
region announced in 2021.
● Under
the pact, the US and the UK will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered
submarines, though not equipped with nuclear weapons.
● It
also allows for greater sharing of intelligence.
● The
US will supply highly enriched Uranium
to Australia to power the Submarine.
Major objectives of AUKUS:
● Step
toward curtailing China's aggressive
maneuvers in the Pacific region, especially in and around the South China
Sea.
● The
nuclear-powered submarines will give Australia naval heft in the Pacific, where
China has been particularly aggressive.
Takeaways from AUKUS:
● It
is a new security partnership and
advancing strategic interests for the Indo-Pacific.
● It
provides for multi-sectoral cooperation
across emerging technologies such as applied AI, quantum technologies and
undersea capabilities.
● It
enhances the development of joint
capabilities and technology sharing, fostering deeper integration of
security and defence-related science, technology, industrial bases and supply
chains.