This paper argues that the United States and Australia must leverage their strong relationship to deepen existing partnerships, build nascent strategic ties, and find new ways to cooperate in the face of an aggressive China bent on exerting itself across the Indo-Pacific region.

This paper argues that after a decline in Sino-Indian relations, which appears unlikely to improve in the near term, India has maintained a subtle foreign policy approach in its relationship with China, while deepening its relationship with Australia and other regional partners.

This paper suggests that the existing constraints on the India–Australia security partnership, while real and important to recognise, are not insurmountable. In most instances, they can be navigated by officials on both sides.

The recommendations in the report are designed to maximise the value and mitigate the downside risks of China engagement for Australia's Antarctic and broader national interests.

Democracy has many advantages, but its pitfalls include a tendency toward short-term return over longer-term interests, being reactive rather than proactive, and being geared towards internal competition rather than cooperation. This report argues that this is a key problem facing liberal democracies.