AUKUS

AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the
United States (AUKUS), announced on 15 September 2021. As part of this initiative,
Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines with help from the UK and the US.
This step is significant because the US has only shared nuclear submarine technology once
before, with Great Britain in 1958. AUKUS will also involve the sharing of cyber
capabilities, applied AI, quantum technologies and undersea technologies. This alliance
is being considered as the most significant security arrangement between these three
nations.

The strength of AUKUS:

 It will enhance capabilities of members and strengthen containment strategy against

China.

 It would enhance Surveillance capabilities of members in the Indo pacific.

 It can potentially act as a viable deterrent to China.

Challenges:

 It may trigger a possible Arms Race in the region. China has denounced AUKUS,
saying such partnerships should not target third countries. China claims that AUKUS
would gravely undermine regional peace and stability, aggravate arms race and hurt
the international non-proliferation efforts.
 Counter Alliances may emerge and destabilize the region. ( Russia – China)

What are the differences and similarities between QUAD & AUKUS?

 The major difference between both the alliances is that the AUKUS is a military
alliance, whereas QUAD is not, it is a diplomatic alliance. The QUAD discusses
diplomatic and global issues along with a security dialogue.

 Another difference would be that the AUKUS specifically will deal with the security
and military situation in the Indo-Pacific region, however, QUAD focuses on
multilateral issues ranging from economic discussions, security affairs & global
affairs e.g. COVID, Vaccines, Afghanistan situation, supply chain resilience etc.

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  One similarity between both the alliances is that both the groups have a common
interest in protecting the Indo-Pacific region from China’s dominance over other
nations.

Impact on India and Quad:

There are speculations that the outlook of the QUAD for Indo-Pacific will be upstaged by the
newly formed trilateral military alliance AUKUS. However, India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh
Vardhan Shringla has emphasized that AUKUS had no links with the Quad and won't impact
the functioning of the grouping. He clarified that Quad is “not a military alliance” and is
"not directed" at any country in particular.

However, jury is divided over its impact and it may cause both challenges and opportunities,
which are discussed below:

Challenges:
 New Challenge in Indo-pacific: There is an apprehension that the deal could
eventually lead to a crowding of nuclear attack submarines in the Eastern Indian
Ocean, eroding India’s regional pre-eminence.
 America’s unreliability: France’s unhappiness with AUKUS has complicated the
situation a bit from India’s perspective. In the light of these issues, some experts
suggest that US cannot be completely relied on, as it has excluded its long-time ally
France from the grouping despite being a NATO partner.
 Skeptics suggest if Australia and U.S. could deceive a North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) partner, they ask, what is to prevent them from doing the same
with lesser allies?
 AUKUS vs Quad: AUKUS has taken the focus away from the Quad. The agreement
suggests preferential treatment on the part of US for a close Anglo-alliance partner. It
reflects emergence of new regional security architecture (Exclusionary).
 Impact on other multilateral engagements: Five eyes alliance group.
 AUKUS is being seen as an exclusionary alliance and is not in line with India’s
vision of ASEAN centrality in the Indo – Pacific region.
 Technology Pursuit: Following the deepening of Quad ties, some in India were
hopeful that U.S. would consider providing the Indian Navy with nuclear submarine

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 propulsion technology. However, US has already Clarified that the deal with
Australia is a ―one-off‖, belies India’s hopes.

Opportunities:

 It will strengthen the Quad’s agenda to keep the Indo-Pacific region free, open and
inclusive. AUKUS could also extend itself to bolster Quad’s efforts on maritime
exercises, security and efforts in countering COVID-19, climate change, cooperating
on critical technologies, and building resilient supply chains.
 Another potential benefit could be the leverage the AUKUS rollout gives India in
both the diplomatic and defense trade realms, particularly with France. As part of the
pact, Australia will abandon its US $43 billion plan to build French conventional
submarines, and instead build vessels based on US-UK technology.
 It reflects continued and intensifying U.S. and Australian concerns about China.
Moreover, it is designed to increase their capabilities in the region (which will also,
consequently, increase the cumulative capabilities of the Quad).
 For India, AUKUS means that the Quad can maintain its broad agenda—its recent
summit highlighted cooperation on COVID-19 vaccine distribution, climate change,
technology, and science expertise—and is absolved of any immediate responsibility
to step up and commit to an explicitly anti-China security framework.
 This meshes well with India’s outlook: India would like China contained but does not
want to be the one containing China—as well as its defense policy; it relies on
diverse sources of defense equipment, including Russia.

Five Eyes Alliance

 The three countries alongside Canada and New Zealand already share extensive
intelligence through Five Eyes alliance.
 The alliance was created during the Cold War (1946-1991)
 The alliance was needed to share sensitive information regarding their adversaries on all
possible fronts available.

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