USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein contributed the article "The Strategic Case for AUKUS in Australia and the Indo-Pacific" to the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's 2026 edition of Panorama: Insights into Asian and European Affairs, titled Security, Sovereignty, and Partnership in the Indo-Pacific.
Introduction
When AUKUS was first announced by UK, US and Australian political leaders in September 2021, it was portrayed in some media as a diplomatic insult to France, a nuclear proliferation concern, and a worryingly destabilising decision that increased the likelihood of war. Nearly half a decade later, AUKUS continues to progress while criticisms of the trilateral pact in the Indo-Pacific have largely become more muted. This article details the genesis, status and perception of AUKUS, the continued rationale for it, and the challenges still facing it.