SOURCE: AFI
Australia and India are forging a closer partnership in the crucial area of Underwater Surveillance driven by concerns about China’s growing underwater military presence. This collaboration holds significant potential for enhancing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Underwater Surveillance refers to the ability to track and understand activities happening underwater, including submarine movements, underwater mines, and other potential threats. Effective UDA is essential for safeguarding vital sea lines of communication, protecting critical infrastructure, and deterring underwater aggression.
Both Australia and India have vast coastlines and strategic maritime interests. China’s expanding submarine fleet and its increasingly assertive actions in the Indo-Pacific region have raised concerns about potential underwater threats.
Underwater Surveillance has been a key focus of recent joint military exercises between Australia and India. These exercises allow for knowledge sharing, improved interoperability, and the development of coordinated responses to underwater threats.
Discussions at the government and military levels emphasize the importance of Underwater Surveillance cooperation. This paves the way for more comprehensive collaboration in the future. The collaboration could lead to a robust network of sensors and surveillance systems in strategic maritime locations. This network would enhance the ability to detect and track underwater activity across a wider area.
Australia’s expertise in AUV development, coupled with India’s growing defense industry, presents an opportunity to establish a collaborative industrial consortium. This consortium could develop next-generation AUVs specifically designed for the needs of both nations’ navies.