Australia Vows AUKUS Nuclear-powered Subs 'going To Happen'

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published March 22, 2024 | 02:00 PM

Adelaide, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2024) Australia insisted on Friday that a landmark deal to develop AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines with London and Washington was "going to happen", despite mounting fears about costs, capabilities and the possible return of Donald Trump.

Under the fledgling AUKUS deal, the three longtime allies have pledged to jointly beef up their military muscle in a bid to counter China's rise.

Defence chiefs this week unveiled ambitious plans to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, a key pillar of the agreement.

"The three governments involved here are working at pace to make this happen," Australian defence minister Richard Marles told reporters Friday.

"This is going to happen and we need it to happen," he added.

Barely two years old, there are already signs that AUKUS and its central project could be under threat.

Some fear Trump could jettison the pact if he wins this year's presidential election, returning to his "America first" style of foreign policy.

With potential flashpoints emerging across the globe, and China taking an increasingly aggressive stance in the Taiwan Strait, visiting UK defence minister Grant Shapps said AUKUS was as crucial as ever.