Australia-Papua New Guinea Forge Pact

Pacific Alliance: Australia and Papua New Guinea Forge Historic Defence Pact

Australia and Papua New Guinea have formally established a historic defence alliance, elevating their longstanding partnership to its highest level. The agreement, signed in Canberra by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his counterpart James Marape, commits the two nations to mutual defence in case of a military assault. This landmark treaty solidifies Canberra's position as the primary security partner for Port Moresby and represents a significant development in the strategic alignment of the Pacific region. The pact facilitates deeper military integration, cooperation, and provides pathways for citizens of Papua New Guinea to enlist in the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

The treaty marks Australia's first new formal alliance in over seven decades and is the first of its kind for Papua New Guinea since it gained independence. Both leaders emphasised the deep trust and shared history that underpin the agreement. Mr Albanese framed the pact as a natural extension of a relationship founded on many years of cooperation and respect. Mr Marape stressed that the alliance arose from geography and history, not as a reaction to geopolitics, though it arrives amid intensifying strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific.

The Geopolitical Chessboard

The Pacific's strategic landscape has transformed considerably of late, largely driven by China's expanding influence. Beijing has significantly increased its economic and diplomatic engagement throughout the area, pursuing security and policing agreements with nations such as the Solomon Islands and Kiribati. This proactive diplomacy aims to solidify China's presence and challenge the traditional dominance of Western powers like Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Analysts suggest Beijing's goals include complicating US and allied military planning and securing access to valuable natural resources.

The 2022 security pact between China and the Solomon Islands was a pivotal moment, sparking concern in Canberra and Washington over the potential for a Chinese military base within the area. This development acted as a catalyst, accelerating Australia's own regional outreach efforts. Canberra responded by launching its "Pacific Step-up" policy, a strategy designed to deepen diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation with its island neighbours, framing the engagement within the concept of a "Pacific family".

Image  Credit - by Australian Government, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Canberra's Regional Response

In response to Beijing's overtures, Australia has proactively strengthened its web of security partnerships throughout the Pacific. This strategy involves a series of bilateral agreements intended to reinforce its role as the region's principal security guarantor. Before the landmark arrangement with Papua New Guinea, Canberra had already forged significant security and development deals with other key Pacific nations. These pacts underscore a concerted effort to provide alternatives to Chinese engagement and bolster regional stability.

Notably, Australia committed A$190 million to enhance law enforcement in the Solomon Islands and establish a new training centre. A similar policing support agreement exists with Tuvalu. Furthermore, Canberra signed a substantial $328 million security and business deal with Vanuatu that encompasses provisions for building data centres and support for managing the consequences of climate change. These agreements form a "hub and spokes" network, positioning Canberra as the central partner for security cooperation within the area.

A Pact Forged in History

The relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea is deeply rooted in a shared and complex past. Australia's administrative role began in 1906 when it assumed responsibility for the southern territory of what is now PNG. This colonial history evolved through two world wars, with the joint struggle against Japanese forces along the Kokoda Trail in the Second World War forging an enduring bond of kinship and sacrifice. Papua New Guinea remained an external territory of Australia until it achieved independence on 16 September 1975.

Since independence, the two nations have maintained close ties, with Australia remaining PNG's largest partner for trade, investment, and development aid. Their political systems are both modelled on the Westminster system, and numerous agreements on trade and commercial relations have been signed over the decades. This new defence treaty is not the beginning of a security relationship but a formalisation and elevation of a partnership that has existed for generations, built on geographical proximity and deep people-to-people connections.

Deconstructing the 'Pukpuk Treaty'

Informally known as the 'Pukpuk Treaty'—'pukpuk' being the Tok Pisin word for crocodile—the agreement symbolises strength and mutual defence readiness. The core of the pact is a mutual defence obligation. It states that a military assault against one nation would be recognised as a danger to the safety and stability of both, compelling them to take joint action to address the shared peril. This commitment elevates the relationship to a formal alliance.

The treaty's provisions extend beyond mutual defence. It outlines a framework for the expansion and modernisation of the defence relationship, covering enhanced cooperation in cybersecurity and combat in the electromagnetic spectrum. A key component is the establishment of a recruitment pathway for Papua New Guinean citizens into the Australian Defence Force, creating deeper integration linking the two militaries. Furthermore, the pact ensures that any agreements made by either party with a third country will not compromise their ability to implement the treaty.

Mutual Benefits and Opportunities

The defence alliance offers significant advantages for both nations. For Australia, it secures its strategic interests by cementing its role as the primary security partner for the most populous Pacific Island nation, creating a buffer on its northern approach. The pact serves as a direct counter to China's ambitions in a region critical to Australia's security. Additionally, the provision allowing as many as 10,000 individuals from Papua New Guinea to join the ADF could assist in alleviating Australia's chronic military recruitment shortfalls.

For Papua New Guinea, the treaty promises a substantial boost for its long-under-resourced defence force (PNGDF). The pact provides for advanced training, investment in infrastructure, and modern equipment, enhancing the PNGDF's capacity to protect its sovereignty and manage internal security challenges. The pathway for citizens to join the ADF offers valuable professional experience and economic opportunities, with the potential to gain Australian citizenship after service.

Modernising the PNG Defence Force

A primary dividend of the treaty for Papua New Guinea is the comprehensive modernisation of its armed forces. The PNGDF has long faced challenges with under-resourcing, which has limited its ability to patrol the nation's vast land and maritime borders effectively. Prime Minister James Marape acknowledged that the country's military needs enhanced capacity to defend its territorial integrity, a weakness the treaty directly addresses. The pact facilitates this through shared resources, technology, intelligence, and joint training exercises.

The agreement will fund significant upgrades to military infrastructure and improve maritime surveillance capabilities. This will bolster the PNGDF with respect to equipment and morale, helping to professionalise the force. Specific areas for development include revamping air capabilities and developing niche special forces skills. The increased interoperability with the Australian military will streamline operations and improve crisis response, allowing the PNGDF to take on a more prominent role in regional security and international peacekeeping missions.

A Pathway to Service

One of the most innovative components of the treaty is the creation of a recruitment pathway for citizens of Papua New Guinea to enlist in the Australian Defence Force. The plan creates an opening for up to 10,000 PNG nationals to serve in the ADF, providing an option to apply for Australian citizenship upon completion of their service. This arrangement is designed to be mutually beneficial, offering a solution to Australia's recruitment challenges while providing valuable skills and employment to PNG nationals.

Consultations are set to begin on the specifics of the pathway. As a first step, from 1 January 2026, eligible individuals from PNG holding permanent residency in Australia will be able to apply to join the ADF. This initiative represents an unprecedented level of integration linking the two nations. Analysts suggest this will provide world-class training and career prospects for PNG service members while strengthening the people-to-people links that form the foundation of the bilateral relationship.

Sovereignty and Internal Debate

Despite strong government support, the pact has prompted considerable debate within Papua New Guinea. A central concern is the potential impact on the nation's established doctrine of being 'a friend to all and an enemy to none'. Critics argue that the pact aligns PNG too closely with Australian and Western security strategies, potentially compromising its neutrality and entangling it in great-power conflicts that do not directly serve its interests.

Jerry Singirok, a retired major-general and former commander of the PNG Defence Force, has been a prominent voice of caution. He warned that the treaty could carry a significant price and suggested it could undermine national sovereignty. Singirok questioned why Australia was suddenly investing heavily in PNG's defence capabilities now, suggesting PNG would be serving Australia's strategic interests against a "perceived enemy" that is not an adversary of PNG. He also raised concerns that the arrangement could bypass necessary parliamentary scrutiny and violate constitutional principles.

Geopolitical Implications for the Area

The Australia-PNG alliance reshapes the strategic map of the Pacific. By securing its relationship with Port Moresby, Canberra effectively limits Beijing's ability to establish a significant security foothold in the largest Pacific Island nation. This move is consistent with the broader objectives of the United States and other Western allies to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. The treaty complements the Defence Cooperation Agreement that PNG signed with the US, which grants American forces access to key military facilities, including the Lombrum Naval Base.

Together, these agreements position Papua New Guinea as a central node in a US-led security network across the Pacific. For Indonesia, which shares a long and porous border with PNG, the treaty presents both opportunities and challenges. Enhanced PNGDF capabilities could help control smuggling and separatist activities, but a strong Australian-supported military presence near its Papua provinces could also be viewed with suspicion in Jakarta.

Countering China's Pacific Ambitions

The treaty is widely interpreted as a direct response to China's determined efforts to expand its security footprint across the Pacific. China's strategy involves leveraging economic tools, such as its Belt and Road Initiative, to deepen political and security ties with island nations. Beijing has successfully established policing and security agreements that affect the Solomon Islands and has actively pursued similar deals with other nations, including PNG itself, though those efforts stalled.

Australia's diplomatic counteroffensive aims to present a more attractive and reliable alternative. The 'Pukpuk Treaty' includes a provision ensuring that neither party will make agreements with third countries that could compromise the alliance, a clause seen as a "China veto". By formalising its role as PNG's designated security ally, Australia has significantly complicated Beijing's regional strategy and reinforced the Western-aligned security architecture in its immediate neighbourhood.

The American Perspective

The landmark defence treaty aligns closely with the strategic interests of the United States in the Indo-Pacific. Washington has grown increasingly concerned by what it views as Beijing's "low-investment, high-reward" opportunities to score strategic victories across the Pacific Islands. The region's strategic location along vital shipping lanes makes it crucial for monitoring military and commercial movements. A greater Chinese presence could imperil US military capabilities and lead to a broader reordering of the regional architecture.

Washington has also ramped up its own diplomatic engagement, reopening embassies and bolstering support for island states to provide an alternative to Chinese economic assistance. The Australia-PNG pact strengthens the network of alliances that Washington relies on to maintain regional stability. It complements other security frameworks like the AUKUS pact between Australia, the UK, and the US, a deal that includes the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines to counter China's military build-up.

Image Credit - by Pete unseth, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A New Chapter of Cooperation

The signing of the treaty marks the beginning of a new, more integrated chapter in the Australia-Papua New Guinea relationship. Prime Minister Albanese hailed the moment as elevating the two nations from friends and neighbours to formal allies. The agreement moves beyond traditional aid-based relationships to a comprehensive partnership of equals, grounded in mutual respect and shared strategic interests.

Implementation will entail yearly combined military drills, enhanced intelligence sharing, and close collaboration on non-traditional security threats like climate change and critical infrastructure protection. The focus now shifts to finalising the domestic processes required for the treaty to enter into force and fleshing out the practical details of military integration and joint operations. Both governments have expressed their dedication to making sure the alliance delivers tangible benefits for the peace and prosperity of the wider Pacific region.

The Road Ahead

With the treaty signed, the focus now turns to implementation. Both nations must complete their domestic ratification processes before the pact officially enters into force. A key task will be defining the precise duties, responsibilities, and pledges for both sides to ensure the alliance functions smoothly. This includes developing the protocols for joint operations, intelligence sharing, and the integration of personnel.

Analysts have highlighted the importance of transparency and communication, not only between Canberra and Port Moresby but also with other Pacific states, to prevent fears of exclusion or regional polarisation. The success of the treaty will depend on its ability to bolster PNG's capabilities without undermining its sovereignty and to enhance regional security without escalating geopolitical tensions. The 'Pukpuk Treaty' is a significant strategic move, but its long-term impact will be determined by the careful and collaborative actions taken in the years to come.