Description: Australia’s Defense Industry Minister, Pat Conroy, has stated that his country would remain dedicated on accomplishing and fulfilling its obligations regarding the funding of the AUKUS strategic partnership despite the Pentagon’s stalled review of the program. Under AUKUS, Australia is expected to receive three Virginia class nuclear – powered submarine and develop the so – called cooperative defense mechanism where its government would involve key partners such as the US and the UK in developing crucial defensive capabilities. Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese is expected to visit Washington next week on an official state visit where he would most definitely discuss the AUKUS partnership with US President Donald Trump. Australian defense officials have stated that they were involved in the Pentagon’s overview of the agreement and had an accurate estimate of when the agreement would be concluded.
Impact: Australia has carefully navigated out of a potential precarious situation where the US could abandon the key strategic partnership by ratcheting up financing and defensive cooperation, while also pledging to extend its strategic partnership with the UK. In Jul, the Pentagon stated that the overview of the agreement would be concluded in the next couple of months which supports the argument that during next week’s leaders meeting in Washington, Trump and Albanese would most likely confirm the development of the three Virginia class nuclear power submarines and dedicate resources for further cooperation. The agreement would arrive in a crucial period of time for both the US and Australia which are aiming to counter Chinese influence in the Indo – Pacific. Australia has concluded crucial strategic agreements focused on defense in recent months with Papua New Guinea and Nauru extending its strategic outreach in the Pacific and subverting Chinese aspirations to extend its influence across the small but significant island countries encircling Australia.