The AUKUS partnership between the US, the UK, and Australia has the potential to shape the strategic contours of maritime Asia. Australia plans to operate a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines within the next decade, which it sees as a significant leap in its defence capability. However, the country faces several challenges in implementing the AUKUS partnership for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Many of Australia's regional partners are opposed to the Royal Australian Navy operating nuclear attack submarines. The U.S. export control and protocol regime could jeopardize the technology transfer agreement, particularly in areas related to undersea capabilities and electronic warfare. Additionally, acquiring nuclear propulsion technology is complicated, and Australia has to exploit a loophole that allows non-nuclear weapon countries to withdraw the fissile material required for submarine reactors from the International Atomic Energy Agency-monitored stockpile. The removal of such fissile material could set a dangerous precedent for potential proliferators to use naval reactors as a cover for future nuclear weapons development.
In conclusion, the optimal pathway for AUKUS is likely to be announced soon, and the challenges that Australia faces in implementing the partnership for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines are instructive for Indian observers. Nuclear technology transfer is complicated, and acquiring critical technology from the U.S. remains a daunting prospect for India.
