Australia, UK defend AUKUS pact, say fears overhyped – The Economic Times

Reuters Britain’s Minister of the Armed Forces James Heappey and Major General Gerald Stricklands Australia and Britain on Thursday defended their nuclear submarine deal with the US amid concerns it could escalate tensions in the region and spark an arms race. UK Minister for Armed Forces James Heappey said there "has been a lot of overhyping" of the pact known as AUKUS . He said the UK and the US have been sharing such technologies for decades and that Australia’s decision to join was merely to develop its own submarine capability. The pact will provide Australia with nuclear reactors to…