COMMENTARY
INDIAN OCEAN SECURITY
AUSTRALIA’S INDIAN OCEAN GATEWAY: WESTERN AUSTRALIA By the Hon Andrew Hastie MP,
Assistant Minister for Defence, Australian Government
When the Prime Minister spoke in Western Australia on the eve of the G7 summit in Cornwall, he noted that escalating great power strategic competition was the defining issue of our time. Our security, prosperity and way of life depend on whether we can meet this challenge.
OUR NATIONAL INTEREST Geo-strategic developments in the Indian Ocean region have always shaped the security and prosperity of Australia. Five of our top 15 trading partners – India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand – are Indian Ocean countries. Half of our global trade crosses the Indian Ocean to reach our shores, and more than half of our exports depart from Indian Ocean ports. Half of the world’s container traffic and one-third of bulk cargo traverses the Indian Ocean, and around 40% of the world’s offshore oil production is based there. That’s why freedom of navigation is so important to Australia and our regional neighbours. The Morrison government is committed to shaping Australia’s strategic environment, deterring actions
against our national interests and enabling the Australian Defence Force to respond with credible military force, when required. As the 2020 Defence Strategic Update makes clear, we have prioritised Defence planning in Australia’s immediate region: ranging from the north-eastern Indian Ocean, through maritime and mainland Southeast Asia, to Papua New Guinea and the Southwest Pacific.
GROWING STRATEGIC ROLE Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have established an enhanced trilateral security partnership, AUKUS. This is a partnership to address new challenges, but a partnership between the oldest and most trusted of friends.
Ships from the Australian, United States, Japanese and Indian navies sail in formation in the Indian Ocean at the start of phase two of Exercise MALABAR 2020. Exercise MALABAR 2020 is a milestone opportunity to enhance Australia’s maritime capabilities and build interoperability with our close regional partners, India, Japan and the United States. © Department of Defence.
EDITION 4 • 2021-22
73
