Aukus fallout: for years, US told India it couldn’t share nuclear submarine technology. ‘And now this ...’

Deal between Australia, the US and Britain to share nuclear-powered submarine technology has some in India asking why it hasn’t been granted similar access to US technology

But some point out that India, which leases nuclear subs from Russia, stands to benefit from Aukus as it appears aimed at countering China in the region

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The Indian Navy's indigenously built, diesel-electric, Scorpene attack submarine at Mazagon Dock in Mumbai. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 8:30pm, 20 Sep 2021Updated: 9:11am, 21 Sep 2021

Australia’s acquisition of at least eight nuclear-powered submarines as part of a new, trilateral defence pact with the United States and Britain has prompted soul-searching in New Delhi about how India should react.

New Delhi has not officially responded to the Aukus partnership that will see Australia ramping up its deterrence capabilities, at a time when the US and its allies are seeking to counter China’s rising influence in the region.

Shekhar Sinha, a retired vice-admiral and former commander in the Indian Navy, said the nuclear-powered submarines would have a “significant impact” on the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. But former Indian naval chief Arun Prakash, in a Twitter post last week, suggested the partnership may have disgruntled New Delhi.

“For years, the US has been telling India that American laws make it impossible to share nuclear-propulsion tech with anyone, including allies,” he said.

“Even the Indo-US nuclear deal and signing of all four foundational agreements did not seem to matter. And now this,” said Prakash.

In 2008, India and the US signed a deal in which the US agreed to work towards full civil nuclear cooperation with India in exchange for India separating its civil and military nuclear facilities and placing all its civil nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

The deal did not cover military nuclear cooperation. In subsequent years the two countries signed four foundational pacts covering deep military cooperation and access to sophisticated weapons. However, again, the deals did not cover military nuclear technology.

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