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General Studies 2021 GS Paper II 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Discuss

GS Paper II — Q20

The newly tri-nation partnership AUKUS is aimed at countering China's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region. Is it going to…

The newly tri-nation partnership AUKUS is aimed at countering China's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region. Is it going to supersede the existing partnerships in the region? Discuss the strength and impact of AUKUS in the present scenario. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारत-प्रशांत महासागर क्षेत्र में चीन की महत्वाकांक्षाओं का मुकाबला करना नई त्रि-राष्ट्र साझेदारी AUKUS का उद्देश्य है। क्या यह इस क्षेत्र में मौजूदा साझेदारी का स्थान लेने जा रहा है? वर्तमान परिदृश्य में, AUKUS की शक्ति और प्रभाव की विवेचना कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q20 of the 2021 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper II, as printed
The question as printed in the 2021 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 250-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

AUKUS is a trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK, and the US, designed to bolster deterrence against Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. It operates on two distinct pillars: delivering conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) to Australia, and co-developing advanced critical technologies, including cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and hypersonics, alongside deep intelligence sharing.

AUKUS vs. Existing Regional Partnerships

AUKUS does not supersede existing regional architectures; rather, it functions complementarily across different domains:

Quad (India, Japan, Australia, US): While the Quad operates as a plurilateral diplomatic forum delivering public goods, maritime domain awareness, and supply chain resilience, AUKUS is an explicit, hard-security military-industrial alliance. Five Eyes and Bilateral Pacts: It builds upon the Five Eyes intelligence architecture and reinforces US bilateral alliances (such as US-Japan and US-ROK) without replacing their formal mutual-defence treaty obligations. ASEAN-led Mechanisms: AUKUS bypasses consensus-driven ASEAN frameworks, raising concerns about great-power polarization undermining ASEAN centrality.

Strengths and Regional Impact

AUKUS derives strength from unprecedented nuclear propulsion technology transfers—a privilege previously shared only between the US and UK—and seamless Anglosphere strategic synergy. Pillar 2 provides an asymmetric technological edge to counter anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities.

However, its impact is multifaceted. It sharpens the regional security dilemma, drawing sharp counter-responses from China, which alleges NPT violations. It creates friction within ASEAN, where nations like Indonesia and Malaysia fear an arms race. For India, AUKUS is advantageous: it anchors Western deterrence against Chinese naval expansion in the Indo-Pacific while insulating the Quad from becoming an overt military bloc.

Ultimately, AUKUS does not replace the existing architecture but adds a hard-balancing spearhead to a multi-layered Indo-Pacific security order.

What "Discuss" is asking you to do

Lay the issue out from more than one side — how it arose, what is claimed for it, what is held against it, and where it now stands. UPSC attaches discuss to broad topics with several live dimensions, so coverage of the dimensions earns more than the strength of your opinion.

Structure that answers it

Set the issue up → the case as it is made → the case against → the dimension both sides leave out → where the balance now lies

Where marks are lost

Listing facts with no thread between them, or arguing one side throughout and calling it a discussion.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS2 International Relations. discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close Full marks: Balanced analysis of AUKUS's strategic depth and its relationship with existing alliances.

Key points expected

  • Define AUKUS as a trilateral security partnership (US, UK, Australia).
  • Analyze the specific aim of countering China's Indo-Pacific ambitions.
  • Evaluate whether AUKUS supersedes or complements existing partnerships (e.g., Quad, bilateral ties).
  • Discuss the strengths (e.g., nuclear tech, cyber) and geopolitical impact.

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Assess AUKUS's role in countering China and its impact on existing Indo-Pacific partnerships. 15 marks · 250 words

    discuss— intro → 3-4 dimensions → example → balanced close

    Must cover

    • Define AUKUS as a trilateral security partnership (US, UK, Australia).
    • Analyze the specific aim of countering China's Indo-Pacific ambitions.
    • Evaluate whether AUKUS supersedes or complements existing partnerships (e.g., Quad, bilateral ties).
    • Discuss the strengths (e.g., nuclear tech, cyber) and geopolitical impact.

    Loses marks

    • Treating AUKUS as a military alliance like NATO.
    • Ignoring the 'supersede' aspect of the question.
    • Focusing only on China without addressing the 'existing partnerships'.

    Earns more

    • Mention specific technological transfers (nuclear propulsion, AI, quantum).
    • Reference the 'Indo-Pacific' strategic context and China's 'Belt and Road' initiative.
    • Compare AUKUS with the Quad or Five Eyes alliance.
    • Discuss the impact on regional stability and arms race dynamics.

    Extra mark

    • Cite specific dates of the AUKUS announcement (Sept 2021).
    • Reference specific defense capabilities like the AUKUS Pillar 1 and 2.

Practice this exact question

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