Australia: The prime minister of Australia announced that he would soon meet with President Mr. Joe Biden in the United States. They plan to announce a contract for nuclear submarines that will be used to fend off China’s rising assertiveness in the Pacific.
After 18 months of discussions, Australia is anticipated to announce plans to purchase eight nuclear-powered submarines, which would represent “the single biggest leap” in defence capability in Australia’s history, according to Prime Minister Mr. Anthony Albanese.
The agreement is a component of the newly formed AUKUS regional security agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Australia must purchase its nuclear subs from either the United States or Britain since it lacks the expertise to develop them. These subs have long-range and devastating strike capabilities.
The AUKUS partners have been in in-depth discussions about how to provide Australia’s military with sensitive nuclear propulsion technology since September 2021. Some of Australia’s biggest regional allies are concerned about the arrangement, and Malaysia, as well as Indonesia both, wonder if it would lead to an Indo-Pacific nuclear arms race.
Although a nuclear reactor will power the subs, Australia has decided against giving them nuclear weapons. Since the 1960s, when the US assisted Britain in creating its own submarine fleet, this will be the first time American-derived nuclear submarine technologies have been transferred.
Whereas the submarine contract is worth tens of billions of dollars, experts claim that its importance goes beyond the investments and jobs it would guarantee.