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Australia
OpinionComment
Asma Khalid
Asma Khalid

Opinion | Why Australia is wary of supporting US-led Red Sea operations

  • Indo-Pacific commitments aside, Australia is seeking to avoid yet another open-ended military commitment in the Middle East
  • Above all, Canberra is mindful that such a move could further alienate voters amid low public trust in government, declining social cohesion and increasing polarisation

Reading Time:4 minutes
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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Asma Khalid

In response to the recent US request for Australian support in Operation Prosperity Guardian – to combat Houthi-led attacks on shipping in the Red Sea – Canberra declined to deploy its warships or planes, citing resource constraints and the complicated Indo-Pacific strategic environment. However, it agreed to triple its troop deployment to the US-led naval force.

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Canberra’s strategic shift to the Indo-Pacific began in 2020, when the Morrison government prioritised Australia’s security and regional concerns about China over support for US operations in the Middle East. Signalling bipartisan commitment, Australia’s 2023 defence strategic review also emphasised the need to strengthen defence ties with its Indo-Pacific partners, particularly in the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

To address what Canberra called China’s unprecedented “military build-up” without “transparency” in the “strategic intent”, Australia has called for a focused force and threat-based planning.

Australia, focusing on Southeast Asia as its primary military interest, aims to enhance defence cooperation with regional countries. This involves naval patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea, upgrading its defence agreement with Indonesia and forming security pacts with Pacific nations.
By positioning itself as a middle power, Australia aims to moderate China’s regional ambitions through the concept of collective responsibility. This involves safeguarding rules, rights, freedom of navigation and respect for sovereignty in the Indo-Pacific – values that, as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pointed out, also underpinned “China’s extraordinary and unparalleled economic achievements”.
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Australia expects the United States to understand its reluctance to deploy warships in the Red Sea, and has emphasised its Western Pacific priorities to show alignment with American interests over China.

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