India-US exercise, with Japan being admitted only in 2016. Ironically, the US-Australia relations appear to have gone sour with Donald Trump having assumed Presidency of the USA. Trump and Turnbull reportedly had an unpleasant and heated telephone conversation in January 2017 over the planned US-Australian refugee deal. Later in May 2017, they both met briefly in New York where Trump said their relationship was "fantastic." But in June 2017, in a leaked video aired by Australia's Channel Nine, Turnbull apparently mocked Trump to journalists and politicians during the Australian Parliament's annual Midwinter Ball. Considering the rapid pace at which China is militarizing islands and reefs illegally claimed and developed in Western Pacific, coupled with her nuclear submarines and vessels frequenting the Indian Ocean, logically all maritime nations inthe region need to show a united front to ensure regional stability. China has already commissioned her second aircraft carrier and is constructing another six.

The pace at which China is pushing for the One Belt, One Road (of which the flagship project is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) and the Maritime Silk Route with the fulcrum converging in the Indian Ocean Region impacts all countries in the region, especially India, given the aggressive designs of China in complete disregard to neighbours. Whatever turn US-Australian relations take, the India-Australia relations are set to grow. However, Australia needs to be forthright in its dialogues and partnership and be firm about which direction it takes, considering the strategic inroads that China has made into Australia.

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