Categories: World

US, UK equipping Australia with nuclear submarines as AUKUS alliance is born to counter China

<p>
The US, UK and Australia have entered a trilateral security partnership to counter China which will include equipping Australia with nuclear-powered submarines and long-range Tomahawk missiles.</p>
<p>
The initiative, called AUKUS, was announced jointly by US president Joe Biden and prime ministers Boris Johnson and Scott Morrison on Wednesday at a videoconference.</p>
<p>
Morrison said teams from the three countries would draw up a joint plan over the next 18 months for assembling Australia’s new nuclear-powered submarine fleet in Adelaide. The project will make Australia only the seventh country in the world to have submarines propelled by nuclear reactors.</p>
<p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/thPmu88cdGE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>
Until now, the US has only shared its nuclear propulsion technology with the UK, in an arrangement dating back to 1958. The three leaders stressed that Australia will not go for nuclear weapons but only be using nuclear propulsion systems for the vessels, to guard against future threats.</p>
<p>
The trialeral arrangement leaves out Asian powers, Japan and India, which have been part of an emerging grouping of the Indo-Pacific QUAD, which is set to hold its first summit later this month in New York.</p>
<p>
Coalition membership is built around the "three R's," Nikkei Asia quoted Tanvi Madan as saying.  "Are the members relevant to the particular subset of issues? Are the members ready? Do they have the resources?"</p>
<p>
She added: "So, in this case, some things might be easier because all three are Five Eyes countries,"  referring to an intelligence-sharing group that also includes New Zealand and Canada. The daily said India is not part of the alliance as its pursues a doctrine of "strategic autonomy".Nuclear power will allow Australian attack submarines to remain at sea for as long as five months and operate more silently than the country’s existing diesel powered fleet, allowing them to better evade enemy detection.</p>
<p>
This would also bring the Australian Navy at power with China’s which also uses nuclear powered submarines. </p>
<p>
"In a potential conflict with China, many U.S. military planners believe that only a submarine could operate in the Taiwan Strait — China's 2,000 short- to medium-range missiles could sink every surface ship that entered the waters," Nikkei Asia wrote.</p>
<p>
None of the three leaders mentioned China while announcing the partnership but their intent was clear. The development comes in the backdrop of China’s expansionist thrust in the South China Sea and stepped up hostility towards Taiwan.</p>
<p>
“We need to be able to address both the current strategic environment in the region, and how it may evolve, because the future of each of our nations and indeed the world, depends on a free and open Indo-Pacific enduring and flourishing in the decades ahead,” Biden said.</p>
<p>
"Our world is becoming more complex, especially here in our region, the Indo-Pacific. This affects us all. The future of the Indo-Pacific will impact all our futures," Morrison said.</p>
<p>
He disclosed that Australia would also acquire long-range US Tomahawk cruise missiles.</p>
<p>
Johnson said they would work "hand in glove to preserve stability and security in the Indo-Pacific."</p>
<p>
However, France was angry over the agreement as it marks the end for a $90 billion contract Australia signed with the French company Naval Group in 2016.</p>
<p>
<strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/world-news/pm-modi-to-visit-usa-for-first-in-person-quad-leaders-summit-114633.html">PM Modi to visit USA for first in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit</a></strong></p>

SPS Pannu

Recent Posts

VINBAX 2024: Vietnam-India bilateral army exercise concludes at Kaushalya Dam

The fifth edition of the historic Indo-Vietnam Joint Field Training Exercise, VINBAX-2024, successfully concluded its…

14 hours ago

India-Russia strengthen defence ties at 22nd Working Group meeting on military technical cooperation

The 22nd meeting of the India-Russia Working Group on Military technical cooperation and defence industry…

14 hours ago

“I want to have strong representation of India at World Nuclear Exhibition 2025”: Sylvie Bermann

Sylvie Bermann, President of the World Nuclear Exhibition expressed confidence in India's nuclear supply chain…

15 hours ago

PoJK: Joint Awami Action Committee protests against government following new ordinance, many injured

Joint Awami Action Committee core member Shaukat Nawaz Mir has condemned the attack of police…

16 hours ago

PM Modi meets 31 world leaders, heads of organisations during his 3-nation foreign visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in 31 Bilateral Meetings and informal interactions with global leaders…

18 hours ago

India- Australia conduct 11th Indian Air Force-Royal Australian Air Force Air Staff Talks

India and Australia conducted the 11th edition of the Indian Air Force and Royal Australian…

18 hours ago