Brief Context
Context Australia and the UK signed the bilateral Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Treaty (the Geelong Treaty) in Geelong, Australia, solidifying their commitment to the AUKUS defense pact. About Geelong Treaty The Geelong Treaty is a historic agreement that commits the UK and Australia to 50 years of bilateral defense cooperation under AUKUS Pillar I. The Treaty will enable comprehensive cooperation on the design, build, operation, sustainment, and disposal of their SSN-A
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Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations
Context
- Australia and the UK signed the bilateral Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Treaty (the Geelong Treaty) in Geelong, Australia, solidifying their commitment to the AUKUS defense pact.
About Geelong Treaty
- The Geelong Treaty is a historic agreement that commits the UK and Australia to 50 years of bilateral defense cooperation under AUKUS Pillar I.
- The Treaty will enable comprehensive cooperation on the design, build, operation, sustainment, and disposal of their SSN-AUKUS submarines.
- The signing of the treaty came as the United States wavered on its role in the AUKUS alliance.
- It has announced a review of the trilateral security partnership to determine whether the agreement aligns with the America First agenda.
What is AUKUS?
- AUKUS is a trilateral defence and security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- It was established in 2021 to bolster their allied deterrence and defense capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.
- The trilateral partnership has two pillars.
- Pillar I revolves around the acquisition and development of conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy;
- Pillar 2 focuses on cooperation in eight advanced military capability areas: artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technologies, innovation, information sharing, and cyber, undersea, hypersonic and counter-hypersonic and electronic warfare domains.
Why was AUKUS formed?
- Increasing Presence of China: The Indo-Pacific region has witnessed increasing geopolitical tensions, including territorial disputes, military build-up, and assertive behavior by China.
- The participating countries share concerns about maintaining peace, stability, and freedom of navigation in the region.
- Technological Cooperation: AUKUS aims to enhance technological cooperation, particularly in the field of defense and security.
- Alliance Strengthening: AUKUS represents a deepening of security ties between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
- Response to Regional Dynamics: The formation of AUKUS is seen as a response to shifting regional dynamics and evolving security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.
- It reflects a broader trend of countries in the region seeking to forge closer security partnerships and alliances to address common concerns and counterbalance China’s influence.
Opportunities of the treaty
- Australia: It will become one of the few countries in the world to have nuclear-powered submarines. This strengthens its navy and gives it more defence independence.
- UK: It boosts the UK’s defence manufacturing sector, especially in areas like submarine production. It also strengthens the UK’s presence in the Indo-Pacific.
- Technology and Security: Through AUKUS Pillar II, the three countries will also work together on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum technologies, Cyber security, Underwater robotics and Hypersonic weapons.
India’s View on AUKUS
- India is not part of AUKUS and has maintained a neutral and non-aligned position regarding its formation.
- India sees opportunities in AUKUS for regional stability but remains wary of nuclear proliferation risks and China’s reaction, especially in the Indian Ocean.
- India continues to engage bilaterally with AUKUS members (US, UK, Australia) through defence dialogues, technology partnerships, and Quad summits.
- While India shares the core objective of ensuring peace, stability, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific, it remains wary of the precedent set by the transfer of nuclear propulsion technology to a non-nuclear weapons state under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Challenges
- US Production Capability: The US currently builds ~1.13 Virginia-class submarines per year, but needs ~2.33 to fulfill AUKUS and US demands. Delays could leave Australia without submarines in the earliest years.
- US Policy Uncertainty: The ongoing US review of AUKUS, aligns with political shifts under an “America First” agenda, creating strategic ambiguity for both Pillar I and II.
- Non-Proliferation Scrutiny: Concerns are raised over precedent-setting transfer of nuclear propulsion technology to a non-nuclear weapon state, even under IAEA safeguards and NPT compliance.
- Industrial Complexity: Building a reliable submarine industrial base demands continuous workforce, expertise, and infrastructure development over decades. Supply chain gaps or political shifts could disrupt progress.
Concluding remarks
- The Geelong Treaty strengthens Australia–UK defence ties under AUKUS, ensuring long-term cooperation on nuclear submarines and advanced technologies.
- For India, it offers both strategic opportunities and nuclear governance concerns, requiring careful monitoring to safeguard its interests in the Indo-Pacific.
Source: AIR