Recommendation 2

Almost five years on from the announcement of the AUKUS partnership, the world is a very different place. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and shifting US priorities have placed increasing pressure on Western nations’ defence and security apparatus. The alliances that have underpinned global security for decades can no longer be taken for granted. There can be no doubt that these changes will present challenges for the partnership, as defence budgets come under increasing pressure and diplomacy enters a new era of unpredictability. They do not, however, undermine the fundamental rationale of AUKUS: bolstering security in the Indo-Pacific (and elsewhere); strengthening alliances between the US, UK and Australia; and seeking technological advantage through collaboration. (Conclusion, Paragraph 18) Governance and leadership