AUKUS Agreement:
The creation of a novel trilateral strategic defense alliance among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States is aimed at making a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines and raising joint efforts in the Indo-Pacific area.
While assisting the development of broader technological abilities, this alliance aims to address the sensed growing danger that China’s ascendance poses. This entails the ending of the contract awarded to France in 2016 for the construction of twelve diesel-electric-powered submarines, which were going to serve as replacements for Australia’s current Collins submarine fleet.
This agreement shows the maiden instance in which the United States has chosen to expose nuclear driving force technology to a partner nation other than the United Kingdom.
What were the reasons behind Australia’s decision to alter its suppliers?
The level of concern over the Chinese threat in the Indo-Pacific region, which encompasses a significant area spanning from India to Japan and extending southward to Australia, has experienced a substantial increase in recent years.
In the present context, nuclear-powered submarines exhibit enhanced operational capabilities, including extended range, heightened speed, and increased stealth characteristics.
However, the United Kingdom’s national security advisor, Sir Stephen Lovegrove, has emphasized that AUKUS encompasses more than just a certain type of submarine.
He characterizes the agreement as maybe the most noteworthy partnership in terms of capabilities worldwide during the last sixty years. He stated that the initiative had been under development for some months.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, articulated the imperative of upholding a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and addressing the prevailing strategic landscape in the area.
What is the expected schedule for the completion of the submarines, and which entity will be responsible for their construction?
The announcement of a specific date has not yet been made, and it is anticipated that the scoping phase will have a duration of 18 months. There is potential for the United States to deploy attack submarines from HMAS Stirling, an Australian Navy facility located in Perth, during the interim period.
The leadership of the United States in the project is obvious, although the specific technological contributions it intends to offer remain unclear. Additionally, the extent of the United Kingdom’s engagement in the provision of submarines is unclear.
To what extent does France exhibit anger?
In the aftermath of the agreement, Philippe Étienne, the French ambassador to the United States, shared a tweet that alluded to a historical event.
Specifically, he noted the appearance of the French navy’s triumph over the British fleet in the Chesapeake Bay, which happened precisely 240 years prior. This naval success played a pivotal role in the following triumph at Yorktown and ultimately led to the achievement of independence for the United States.
The French embassy released a statement affirming that the decision to “exclude” France indicates a lack of consistency, which France can only recognize and express regret over.
The French foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, expressed his dissatisfaction with the accord more bluntly, referring to it as a betrayal. In 2016, France characterized the Australian contract as a highly significant agreement and the commencement of a long-term alliance covering five decades.
The primary purpose of this initiative was to serve as a version of a broader alliance between Australia and France in the Indo-Pacific region, surrounding areas such as weapons intelligence, and communications. The involvement of the Australian partnership was a vital aspect of the 2018 Indo-Pacific strategy.
What will be the immediate consequences of the agreement?
The current route of Beijing-Washington relations appears to be defined by difficulty, while the unity of the Western alliance has also been upset. Despite the repeated warnings from Canberra to France about delays and cost overruns, Emmanuel Macron believed that Australian concerns had lowered.
However, it is possible that the United States provided Australia with an offer that was difficult to decline. Nevertheless, it is evident that the United States harbored reservations over Macron’s stance on China, as he often expressed his desire to direct a middle path between these two important nations.
Macron supported the existence of an independent Europe that would coexist alongside both the United States and China.
What is the geopolitical relevance of the subject matter?
The statement implies that China is opposed to a mighty rising defense union in the Indo-Pacific area, which has acquired a positive reception from neighbors. Furthermore, this statement serves to confirm that, after the event of Brexit, the United States continues to focus on the United Kingdom as its primary military ally rather than the European Union.
Furthermore, this development provides President Biden with a politic focal point for his shift towards Asia following the conclusion of the Afghanistan situation. On September 24, he is planning to convene the initial one-on-one summit of the Quad, a tactful alliance including Japan, the United States,
Does this action violate the rations of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty?
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced its intention to conduct an investigation, notwithstanding the fact that six nations have previously used this technology for submarine drive.
