The UK, US and Australia have announced a historic security pact in the Asia-Pacific, in what's seen as an effort to counter China. It will let Australia build nuclear-powered submarines for the first time, using technology provided by the US. The Aukus pact, which will also cover AI and other technologies, is one of the countries' biggest defence partnerships in decades, analysts say. China has condemned the agreement as "extremely irresponsible". It has also created a row with France, which has now lost a deal with Australia to build 12 submarines. 

            The leaders of Australia, the UK and the US announced the formation of a new Indo-Pacific security alliance called AUKUS on Wednesday, which will include the sharing of nuclear-powered submarine technology. The partnership will see the three countries share technology to improve their defensive capabilities, including cyber security, artificial intelligence and underwater systems.             The move follows worsening relations between China and the US and other Western powers. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the three allies — already all members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance along with Canada and New Zealand — were "opening a new chapter in our friendship and the first task of this partnership will be to help Australia acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines."             Johnson emphasized that the vessels would "be powered by nuclear reactors, not armed with nuclear weapons, and our work will be fully in line with our [nuclear] non-proliferation obligations." Australia will become only the second country, after the UK, with which the US has shared nuclear propulsion technology. The announcement likely ends existing Australian plans to acquire new submarines from France.  Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the submarines would be built in Adelaide in close cooperation with the US and Britain. He also announced that the Australian Navy would be upgraded with longe range missiles including Tomahawk cruise missiles.             US officials were careful not to describe the partnership as a deterrent to China's ambitions in the region. Australian Prime Minister Morrison declared that there was an "open invitation for President Xi to discuss other matters." The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it would monitor the UK, US, Australian agreement, adding that it damaged regional peace and stability. 

            Paris has expressed a feeling of betrayal after Australia went back on a deal to buy French submarines. Canberra says the decision was necessary for Australia to meet its strategic needs. Australia's decision to accept the US submarine deal was announced alongside the unveiling of the Indo-Pacific security agreement with the US and Britain. The pact allows Australia to develop a nuclear-powered fleet — an option that was not open to Canberra when it struck a deal with France in 2016.             The European Union announced its own strategy to boost political and defense ties in the Indo-Pacific on Thursday. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Thursday that Brussels had not been consulted on the pact, which has been dubbed "AUKUS." "We regret not having been informed, not having been part of these talks," Borrell said as he presented the strategy.

            Former Prime Minister Theresa May questioned Boris Johnson in Parliament over the newly announced Aukus pact. She asked what the implications of the pact were and the stance the United Kingdom would take if China were to invade Taiwan. Britain and the US hailed a deal to help Australia build nuclear-powered subs to combat Chinese aggression. The AUKUS defence alliance will share nuclear secrets to give Australia its first fleet of the vessels. The move enraged French ministers with Jean-Yves Le Drian saying his country had been "betrayed" 

Modi, Morrison to discuss trade, health, education, defence in virtual summit

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison will hold wide-ranging discussions covering areas such as revival of the India-Australia bilateral trade talks, the future of the proposed mega regional trade agreement, responses to the Covid-19 pandemic and enhanced cooperation in sectors such as education, defence, science and technology and agriculture when…