ISAS South Asia Discussion Papers

The announcement of AUKUS, a strategic alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States (US) has been termed as a “profound geopolitical shift” globally. AUKUS reveals the conviction of these three parties that a conflict in Northeast Asia would be detrimental to the interests of the entire Indo-Pacific and must, therefore, be prevented. It also signifies the embrace of the balance of power logic in the US’ approach towards the Indo-Pacific.

This issue of the South Asia Discussion Papers is shaped around the thoughts of experts who analyse the multi-faceted implications of AUKUS for the major stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific. The publication also highlights that the Southeast Asian countries may be more welcoming of AUKUS than they publicly admit, primarily because of concerns over China’s adverse reaction.