AUKUS: New partnership between Australia, the U.K. and the U.S.
Part of: Prelims and GS II – International Relations
Context A week before a meeting of Quad leaders in Washington DC, the Biden administration has announced a new trilateral security partnership for the Indo-Pacific between Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. (AUKUS).
The grouping is security focused.
It is also different from — but complementary to — arrangements such as the Quad.
Key features of the partnership
A central feature of the partnership would involve a trilateral 18-month effort to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines which are quieter, more capable and can be deployed for longer periods, needing to surface less frequently.
The partnership would also involve a new architecture of meetings and engagements between the three countries and also cooperation across emerging technologies (applied AI, quantum technologies and undersea capabilities).
The U.S. sharing this kind of technology on nuclear submarines had been done only once before — with the U.K. and almost 70 years ago.
Significance: Australia has felt increasing pressure from an assertive China and has sought to strengthen its partnerships with India, the U.S. and the U.K., including through ‘plurilateral’ forums.
