Australia signed a submarine deal with new defence alliances, namely United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) on November 22, 2021.

Key Points

• The deal seeks to equip Australian Navy with nuclear-powered submarines.
• The deal was signed by Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton with U.S. and British diplomats.
• This deal allows the exchange of sensitive “naval nuclear propulsion information” between three countries.
• It is the first agreement on technology to be publicly signed.

About the deal

• The deal will help Australia to do an 18-month study into submarine procurement. Details of the procurement has not yet decided, including whether Australia will opt for a vessel based on British or U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines.
• With access to the information delivered under the deal, Australia will be positioned to be reliable and responsible stewards of the naval nuclear-powered technology.

Defence Alliance

Australia, UK and US had announced the formation of a new defence alliance between them, called AUKUS. It was created to confront strategic tensions in the Pacific Ocean, where China-US rivalry is increasing.