US, UK and Australia agree on nuclear submarine project amidst China's aggressive behaviour
Washington (PTI): The United States, Australia and the United Kingdom have announced a nuclear-powered submarine deal, a step aimed at countering the Chinese aggressive behaviour in the resource-rich Indo-Pacific region and ensuring that the region remains "free and open."
Under the Aukus agreement, Australia will first receive at least three nuclear-powered submarines from the US.
The announcement was made after US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended a summit meeting in San Diego on Monday and asserted that the move is to keep the Indo-Pacific region "free and open."
"With the support and approval of the Congress, beginning in the early 2030s, the United States will sell three Virginia-class submarines to Australia with the potential to sell up to two more if needed, jumpstarting their undersea capability a decade earlier than many predicted," Biden said in the presence of Australian Prime Minister Albanese and British Prime Minister Sunak.
As part of the announcement, the US has also pledged a total of USD 4.6 billion over the next few years to build its submarine construction capacity and to improve the maintenance of its Virginia-class submarines.
"This state-of-the-art conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarine will work -- that will combine the UK submarine technology and design with the American technology," he said.
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.
India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region.
China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.
Australia's future SSN, which Biden described as "SSN-AUKUS", will also be a state-of-the-art platform designed to leverage the best of submarine technology from all three nations.
SSN-AUKUS will be based upon the United Kingdom's next-generation SSN design while incorporating cutting-edge US submarine technologies and will be built and deployed by both Australia and the United Kingdom.
"Beginning this year, Australian personnel will embed with US and UK crews on boats and at bases in our schools and shipyards. We will also begin to increase our port visits to Australia. In fact, as we speak, the nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Asheville, is making a port call in Perth," Biden said.
"And later this decade, we will be establishing a rotational presence of the US and UK nuclear-powered subs in Australia to help develop the workforce Australia is going to need to build and maintain its fleet," he said.
Describing it as a new chapter in the relationship between the three countries, Albanese said this is a friendship built on their shared values, commitment to democracy, and a common vision for a peaceful and prosperous future.
"The AUKUS agreement, we confirm here in San Diego, represents the biggest single investment in Australia's defence capability in all of our history, strengthening Australia's national security and stability in our region; building a future made in Australia with record investments in skills, jobs, and infrastructure; and delivering a superior defence capability into the future," he said.
President Biden said all three countries were committed to ensuring that the region would remain free and open.
"Forging this new partnership, we're showing again how democracies can deliver our own security and prosperity... not just for us but for the entire world," he said. From early in the next decade, Australia will take delivery of three US Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines. This is the first time in 65 years and only the second time in history that the United States has shared its nuclear propulsion technology, he said.
Commenting on the deal, Sunak noted, "Sixty years ago, here in San Diego, President Kennedy spoke of a higher purpose: the maintenance of freedom, peace, and security. Today, we stand together united by that same purpose. Recognising that to fulfil it, we must forge new kinds of relationships to meet new kinds of challenge, just as we have always done."
"In the last 18 months, the challenges we face have only grown. Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, China's growing assertiveness, and the destabilising behaviour of Iran and North Korea all threaten to create a world defined by danger, disorder, and division," he said.
"Faced with this new reality, it is more important than ever that we strengthen the resilience of our own countries. That is why the UK is today announcing a significant uplift in our defence budget.
"We are providing an extra 5 billion pounds over the next two years, immediately increasing our defence budget to around 2.25 per cent of GDP. This will allow us to replenish our war stocks and modernise our nuclear enterprise, delivering AUKUS and strengthening our deterrent. Our highest priority is to continue providing military aid to Ukraine because their security is our security," Sunak added.
Australian Prime Minister Albanese said the submarine plan would create thousands of new jobs and marked the "biggest single investment in Australia's defence capability in all of its history".
"This will be an Australian sovereign capability, commanded by the royal Australian navy and - sustained by Australian workers in Australian shipyards with construction to begin this decade," said Albanese.
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Increasing wild animals amid decreasing forest cover contributes to human-animal conflicts: Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre told the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the increase in the population of wild animals like tigers and elephants, amid a decrease in forest cover in the state, is contributing to human-animal conflicts.
The minister was responding to questions raised by MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka in the Assembly.
"The number of animals has increased. In 1972, Bandipur had 12 tigers. Now, there are 175 tigers. Regarding the carrying capacity (at Bandipur), we have formed a team of experts and will be getting a report from them," Khandre said.
He said, "Forest cover is not increasing proportionately with the rise in animal population. In fact, forests have decreased. We are trying to save forests."
Ashoka sought to know from the minister if the government's recent decision to halt safaris had decreased human-animal conflict.
In November 2025, the government stopped safaris at Bandipur and Nagarhole tiger reserves following a spate of tiger attacks that resulted in human deaths. However, in February, the government decided to lift the safari ban.
Explaining the decision to stop safari, Khandre said, "Safari was not stopped all of a sudden. In November and December, human-animal conflict increased. In Bandipur and the surrounding areas, three lives were lost in a span of fifteen days due to tiger attack, while one person became permanently disabled".
"When I visited Chamarajanagara district, several people and organisations, including farmers, had submitted memoranda, as two lives were already lost by then."
"They had alleged that the safari vehicles were operating even during the night and they were not being regulated, more than the permitted number of people were coming for safari, and it should be halted, or else it may lead to the loss of more lives," he said, adding that based on the memorandum, he had asked officials to examine things.
As there was one more tiger attack in a week's time, the minister further said, following this, he immediately ordered to stop the safari. "Yes, lots of tourists come for the safaris..... Livelihoods were also lost. There was a loss of Rs 6-8 crore. But we wanted to save lives," he said.
Noting that Bandipur has a periphery of 314 km, of which 100 km is a maximum conflict zone, Khandre said. "In that region, we have 25 anti-poaching camps and round-the-clock patrols, with all required facilities. We have set up an integrated command centre. Drone cameras and other facilities have been provided there," he said.
He said the decision to reopen the Bandipur safari was made after regulating things, based on the recommendations in the interim report from a committee consisting of a central government representative.
The government is conducting an outreach programme in 70 villages around the periphery of Bandipur forest, where the government will use 35 per cent of the income from safaris on education and livelihood improvement, Khandre said.
Responding to another question by Malavalli Congress MLA P M Narendraswamy, the minister said, elephant attacks are also on the rise day by day.
"There are several reasons for this. The elephant population has increased. The elephant corridor has been fragmented due to various developmental works like expressways, among others," he said.
Stating that the government has taken various measures to stop this, Khandre said, "The government is erecting 116 km of railway barricades at a cost of Rs 201 crore. They are at various stages....we are also taking up other measures like tentacle fencing. We also have an elephant task force and a leopard task force (to tackle leopard attacks), command centres, and use of modern technologies to monitor the movement of wild animals."
The minister accepted the request of Sullya BJP MLA Bhagirathi Murulya to allow the trekking at Kumara Parvatha, considered one of the toughest trails in the Western Ghats, from 5.30 am instead of the current 6 am.
"The Subramanya-Kumara Parvatha is 12 km, up and down it is a 24-km, 2-day trek. Earlier, the trek started at 6 am, and people had to camp at one location that had no basic facilities, coupled with wildlife movement," Khandre said.
Considering all these factors, the time was changed by senior officials in June 2024, he said. "Now, the 14-km Beedahalli-Kumara Parvatha trek takes 7 hours. The 19-km Beedahalli-Kumara Parvatha-Subramaya needs 10-12 hours.
The Subramanya-Shesha Parvatha-Subramanya is 20 km. Those who start at 6 am have to return before 6 pm.....The starting time will be changed to 5.30 am," he said.
Noting that beyond the carrying capacity, about 2,000-3,000 people used to gather there for trekking sometimes, which could cause disaster, the minister said.
"It has been decided to regulate it by allowing only 150 people per day. The trek happens for six months; it cannot be done during the monsoon and when there are chances of wildfire during summer."
