Indo-Pacific: Australian government unveils new military doctrine

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke to the media after the Strategic Defence Review in Canberra. via REUTERS - STRINGER

Text by: Grégory Plesse

2 min

The Australian government unveiled on Monday a major revision of its military doctrine. This measure is explicitly aimed at deterring China from using force in the Indo-Pacific region and more broadly limiting its growing influence there. This comprehensive overhaul also aims to enable Australia to become less militarily dependent on the United States and to contribute more directly to maintaining freedom of movement in the Indo-Pacific region.

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From our correspondent on site, Grégory Plesse

This is the major change introduced by the doctrine just presented by the government in Canberra: to no longer consider that defending Australia is simply to prevent the invasion of its territory by a foreign power.

From now on, the Australian military will have to defend its interests far beyond its maritime territory. Of the announced budget of $19 billion, a large part will be devoted to the acquisition of long-range missiles, its navy and the reinforcement of military bases located in the north of the country.

This development is justified by the strengthening of Beijing's military capabilities, which the Australian Department of Defence describes in its report as a threat to world order.

Malcolm Davis of the Australian Institute for Strategic Policy said the idea is not to attack China, only to deter it from attacking neighbouring countries.

No one is proposing to invade China or take up positions in central Beijing. The idea is to prevent China from using force in the Indo-Pacific or being able to respond to Chinese threats on Taiwan.

This new strategy revolves around the acquisition of long-range strike capabilities. This military equipment program is in addition to the development, announced a few weeks ago, of a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines as part of the Aukus Pact, concluded between Australia and its closest allies, the United States and the United Kingdom.

► Read also: AUKUS nuclear submarines: the IAEA vigilant on the risks of proliferation

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