The United States Studies Centre (USSC) at the University of Sydney and the Korea Foundation have just published findings from their inaugural Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue, convened with leading experts from Europe and the Indo-Pacific to look at the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its four key Indo-Pacific partners (IP4) — Australia, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand — earlier this year.
In Beyond alignment: Moving the NATO-IP4 partnership forward, USSC Research Associate Kester Abbott shares the emerging themes from the closed-door discussions, looking at the most pressing challenges and opportunities for operationalising transregional security cooperation.
“We cannot look at what is happening with Ukraine in Europe and not think about implications for Taiwan,” USSC CEO Dr Michael Green noted, “That is why we gathered thought leaders from both Europe and the Indo-Pacific for this landmark dialogue, to share information and strategise about next steps.”
The report shares key findings from the dialogue, including noting concern about the growing strategic coordination between China, Russia, Iran and North Korea; aspirations for a shared understanding of deterrence between NATO and the IP4; and strong potential to better harness the complementarities within NATO and the IP4’s respective defence industrial bases.
“Over the course of the day, we made significant progress in understanding what the IP4 can be and what it should not be,” Dr Green said, “Ultimately, participants agreed that this security cooperation complements, but cannot replace, the role of the United States in both theatres.”
Policy recommendations for NATO-IP4 goverments
- Recognise and prosecute NATO-IP4 security cooperation as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, their respective ongoing security commitments with the United States.
- Develop IP4 coordination mechanisms to reduce reliance on NATO and the United States as lead conveners, and help the IP4 become a more coherent and constructive partner for NATO to engage with.
- Enhance shared understandings of deterrence.
- Expand IP4 participation in NATO’s Centres of Excellence and explore establishing Indo-Pacific equivalents.
- Map the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic defence-industrial ecosystems to support current strategic needs and sustain long-term deterrence in both theatres.
- Beyond alignment: Moving the NATO-IP4 partnership forward is now available to view or download.