Pragmatically, is there a case for a new Quad in the making between India, Indonesia, Australia and Japan? This could be a defining grouping in the Indo-Pacific.
Post Japan’s PM Takaichi’s visit and PM’s watershed visit to Indonesia; PM Modi addressed a 30,000 strong crowd in “Melbourne meets Modi” at Marvel stadium in Melbourne last week with PM Albanese. Several equations in the Indo-Pacific have quietly changed.
All collaborations are people centric. The Indian diaspora, which historically dates to two centuries is the second largest group of overseas born residents in Australia and contributes effectively to all spheres of economy, politics, technology, art, sport and business. Significantly, it is also the second highest tax paying community which drives the economy. Both countries have maintained high diplomatic presence to ensure seamless relations and citizen support. Indian students pursuing STEM education and working in diverse tech related endeavours are the very lynchpin of this process, as compared to other countries with to a culture in pursuing technology related domains.
There have been enabling frameworks which have been established earlier to include Australia India Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership (AICCTP) in 2020 and establishment of Australia India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF), jointly funded and managed by both the governments. Australia India Innovation network as part of the Australia-India Business Exchange Program (AIBX) has also been set up by Australian Trade and Investment Commission to foster greater business ties between Indian and Australian companies. These frameworks constitute a broader effort, but an execution of a larger, collaborative endeavour is now clearly in the offing.
In the realm of security, both countries have a significant role to play in the Indo-Pacific, especially after the lukewarm overtures by the United States in the recent past. A landmark Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation (JDDSC) has been signed, which enhances collaboration between the two countries in defence and security. Both countries have also adopted the Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap (MSCR), which is meant to increase collaboration in maritime security. A memorandum of understanding has signed between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Maritime Border Command (MBC) of Australia for collaboration in enhancing coastal security between the two countries. To enable more liaison and enhanced focus on interoperability and joint strategy, an instructor from the Indian Military will be deployed in the Australian Defence College in 2028-29. The annual Defence Minister’s dialogue will not only hinge on security partnership but will be a joint mechanism to mitigate military complexities which are bound to occur. Besides the much-acclaimed AUKUS, these developments need to be viewed with a long-term vision.
Australia-India Partnership for Cyber, Critical Technologies, Supply Chains (PACTS) builds on the 2020 India-Australia Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation. PACTS aims to make critical supply chains more resilient and enhance cooperation in areas like cybersecurity and digital resilience.
Australia has one of the world’s largest uranium reserves and is the world’s fourth largest producer of Rare Earth Elements (REE) incorporating best practices for extraction, refining and chemical processing. India has the world’s fifth largest reserves of these critical minerals, presently with a low scale of production which are being scaled up along with new discoveries and explorations which are underway. In the joint statement on energy security, the two countries have agreed to maintain a stable, secure and reliable supply of energy products, such as coal, diesel, other liquid fuels and natural gas. A MoU between Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and Technical and Further Education (TAFE), Government of Western Australia, for setting up a Centre of Excellence in Mining and Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS), will support the cooperation in the mining sector in the future.
Australia will supply its uranium to India for nuclear energy, which will be used for civil purposes. This is a very significant partnership, especially for India’s endeavour to reach 100 GW target of power generation using nuclear energy. With indigenous pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) technology and BSMR design, supply of uranium from Australia will be pivotal in India’s energy transition along with Thorium based Fast Breeder Reactor technology and SHANTI Act 2026. Renewable energy and nuclear energy will be a critical requirement for hyperscale data centres which are likely to come up in quick time.
While the future quest for clean energy will require reliable global supply chains and usage of cutting-edge technology for cleaner processes, several collaborations are possible in this critical space. This could be the bedrock for not only joint endeavours but also mitigate the largely monopolistic critical mineral production by China with its complex supply chain and price dynamics. India and Australia’s critical minerals investment partnership was announced in June 2021 to enhance collaborations, research and investments with a focus on long term goals of economic development, decarbonisation and sustainability.
India with its STEM prowess, presently stands at the inflection of scale and speed of manufacturing of diversified product lines for a wide range of applications in future. It also has the cerebral prowess, the market and an intent and capacity to become a global R&D hub. It is therefore an imperative to jointly create a robust ecosystem for a future ready skilled workforce for electronics as well as manufacturing sectors. This is a crucial sector where both countries can collaborate for the future with Australia’s expertise in Research & Development (R&D) with some of the finest universities and faculty in the world. An adaptive policy and focussed joint skilling of the future ready workforce is likely to be the very core of critical technology, semiconductor design and manufacturing in the future.
Australia and India have displayed a notable appetite to incubate and adopt innovations. Collaborations in this space could tide over intellectual property (IP) barriers and tiding over the costs of expensive design tools metrics. There is a large scope of Public Private Partnership (PPP) models which are immensely feasible with a shared vision and mutual trust.
Recent events have shown that the future belongs to creating disruptive technologies pivoted on “manufacturing” sector. Australia’s manufacturing sector contributes to 6% of its GDP, whereas Indian manufacturing sector contributes to 17% of the GDP. These sectors are steadily on the rise in both nations, aptly supported by the respective governments as the long-term answer to supply chain disruptions, rising energy costs, resource utilisation and global competitiveness. Several enabling collaborations in security, critical minerals, energy security, cyber domain, education, research, resilient supply chains and technology will be the centre piece of this partnership in the future.
Meaningful collaborations in terms of STEM related R&D, minerals, chemicals, clean energy, water technologies and joint workforce development could be the six sectors of engagement to jointly harness technologies of the future. This could provide the proverbial “Shot in the Arm” to the existing security ties and align both the vectors of security and technology towards a stable and vibrant Indo-Pacific region. An early conclusion on an ambitious Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) will be a game changer and align trade with security.
Pragmatically, is there a case for a new Quad in the making between India, Indonesia, Australia and Japan? This could be a defining grouping in the Indo-Pacific with an amalgamation of critical minerals, supply chain management, technology, market dynamics and interoperability in security. A grouping like this will be an epitome of pluralistic cooperation and diversity in terms of economic heft, religious beliefs, military prowess and power projection. This is aptly supported by geography with sea lanes of communication and trade routes at the centrality of thought and execution.
India and Australia will remain central to the discourse on Indo-Pacific. Beyond political convergence, there are strategic overtones in this relationship that are bound to change the future contours of engagement.
*Anurag Awasthi is a veteran, and CEO of Escape Velocity Mediaworks. He is a known policy expert and a columnist who writes extensively on critical technologies, security and geopolitics. Views are personal.
