Ways Ahead:

An Australian Perspective
Emeritus Professor Carlyle A. Thayer,
Presentation Session 3 to Workshop on
Maritime Security in the South China Sea and
Indian Ocean Region: Exploring Convergent Views
co-sponsored by
National Maritime Foundation and Embassy of Japan
Jacaranda Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India
January 30, 2020
 Ways Ahead
As a result of presentations, comments by moderators
and questions from audience, I will address three
topics:
1. Indo-Pacific Region
2. Australia and the Pacific
3. Australia and Indian Ocean Region
 Indo-Pacific Region
• The East Asia Summit (EAS) has eighteen members including
India
• The EAS may be viewed as the Indo-Pacific by another name
• The ADMM Plus similarly has 18 members including India

• Continued U.S. engagement across the Into-Pacific is central

to the maintenance of peace and security
• The trick is to get the U.S. to show up at the EAS
 Australia and the Pacific
• Australia is a member of the South Pacific Forum
• Australia shares its largest Exclusive Economic Zone with France
• Maritime boundaries from New Caledonia
• Concern about Chinese naval lodgment through piers and potential
naval bases
• Prime Minister launched Pacific Step Up to further engage region
• Individual Quad members are acting with South Pacific island states
• Australia, France, Japan and U.S. conducted Op LaPerouse
• US, Australia have combined to work with New Zealand and France
 Australia and the Indian Ocean Region
• Australia has very large Exclusive Economic Zone in the Indian Ocean
• Australia has two possessions – Christmas and Cocos & Keeling
islands – in the Indian Ocean
• In 2019 Indo-Pacific Endeavour, Task Group of five navy ships, began
in Indian Ocean with port call in Sri Lanka and sailed to India for
largest AUSINDEX to date
• Indo-Pacific Endeavour shifted to the Pacific with visits to Malaysia,
Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia before returning to
Australia
 Ways Ahead:
An Australian Perspective

Emeritus Professor Carlyle A. Thayer,

Presentation to Session 3, Workshop on
Maritime Security in the South China Sea and
Indian Ocean Region: Exploring Convergent Views
co-sponsored by
National Maritime Foundation and Embassy of Japan
Jacaranda Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India
January 30, 2020