when No one competes with you, you grow slowly. When you see competition, you equip yourself better by staying active. When competition is tough, you collaborate with the closest friends When competition is with the world’s dominating Anglosphere, you join forces with neighbours and become a part of One Asia. This is how all Asian countries must think, given the situation on the horizon in the form of AUKUS -- an Anglospheric grouping that stands for Australia, the UK, and the US. Many may not be aware of how AUKUS has been making inroads in Asia through various initiatives.The most ambitious among these initiatives is the nuclearpowered submarine pathway project. Though it is being built for Australia, the support of the UK and the US has components that may be of strategic benefit to these countries also.

 

Briefly, it is a project that will help these three powers have their presence in the seaboard along Asia. For long, since the UK was driven out of Asia following freedom struggles, it found it difficult to maintain its hold through the Commonwealth. Despite financing a terror-exporter state like Pakistan, and the attempts in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ukraine, the US has not been able to have firm roots in Asia. Weak state of its economy and domestic conditions, and rise of Asian powers, particularly India and China, has forced the UK to think of revival of its previous widespread presence. For the US, it has become utmost important to tap resources in Asia as well as harness Asia’s potential in gaining access to another resource-rich continent of Africa to help soothe the nerves of domestic voters who dream of making America great again. Australia also wants to reinforce its place in the Anglosphere to enhance ‘natural collaboration'.

 

The nuclear-powered submarine pathway project becomes pivotal for the AUKUS in all these respects. It means strengthening of trilateral Anglospheric partnership. This project focusses on the Indo-Pacific. In the name of building Australia’s capacity to‘safely operate, maintain and regulate this technology’, the project involves regular port visits and a rotational presence of the UK and the US submarines in Australia. This will be followed by AUKUS initiatives in areas such as artificial intelligence, hypersonic and counterhypersonic capabilities, and ‘electronic warfare’ to strengthen the ‘combined military capabilities’ of the AUKUS partners. Already, AUKUS countries are worried about China's growing influence in their domestic affairs and international forums. India marching towards becoming the third largest economy has only added to their worries. Besides, India has been championing the cause of the Global South, Africa, and also countering China's hegemonic designs.While China has been infiltrating the international institutions as well as the policy, health, economy sector academic circles, India has been expanding its influence through positive deepening of cooperation by practising multilateralism. This is creating a strong atmosphere of Asian consolidation.

 

Recently, India and China have shaken hands for disengagement after a long border standoff.Though China’s historic character gives enough reasons to be suspicious about it’s intentions, India has showed some trust in the process of disengagement and subsequent dialogue. If the Communist China, which has also been facing strong domestic discontent over troubled economy, shows maturity in cementing the trust that India has reposed in it, both countries together can create a substantial weight for Asia’s case as a leading world geography for decades to come. For this to happen, however, it will not help to oppose the AUKUS. Rather, it will be a better and positive strategy to devise plans to extend or consolidate Asian presence at the AUKUStapped vantage points, and also to increase within-Asia technology partnerships aimed at collective prosperity. Of course, China will have to shun ‘what-Isay-is-correct’ attitude. It will have to adopt a cooperative, empowering, and consultative mechanism instead of its current emphasis on conflict-oriented, enslaving, and authoritarian approach in foreign affairs. At the centre of attention of the powers in other parts of the world wanting to restore their domination, and also witnessing the great internal competition, Asia is at an important juncture of history.

 

How do the Asian nations manage their perceptions about one another as also the Anglospheric countries, will decide the future of the continent’s stability in economy, politics, security, science and technology. If Asian nations can stay united to grow together without being too skeptical or too pliant towards the Anglosphere, the next several decades are going to be Asia’s. Given the fact that the old bipolar World Order is giving away in favour of the new multilateral, multipolar Welfare Order, Asia has got an opportunity like never before. This opportunity has risen because of China’s hegemony and India’s focus on peaceful multilateralism.

 

All other Asian nations are convinced about seizing the moment and standing by India. Pakistan and its radical shadow cast over Bangladesh are stuck in regressive ideas. But, if China behaves in a matured manner, whether or not these two nations are part of Asian Dream will be immaterial. Others will come together and form a strong force in the Indo-Pacific where neo-colonialism will have no place under one excuse or another.