The Australian and United Kingdom governments have moved to deepen defence collaboration, with critical minerals supply chains emerging as a key pillar of growing bilateral ties.
UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard hosted Australian Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy for the Australia–UK Defence Industry Dialogue (AUKDID), where the pair discussed cooperation on minerals essential to advanced defence technologies.
The talks canvassed improved information-sharing to strengthen supply chain resilience, expanded joint research efforts, and measures to ensure secure access to strategically important materials.
The ministers also highlighted the role of their respective steel industries in delivering the SSN-AUKUS class submarines, agreeing to explore opportunities to strengthen a collective steel industrial base across both nations.
The defence dialogue follows the UK signalling the possibility of a bilateral critical minerals agreement with Australia as it seeks to bolster supply chain security.
Under its critical minerals strategy, launched last year, the UK aims to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers by 2035. Targets include sourcing 10 per cent of domestic demand from local production and 20 per cent from recycling, while diversifying supply through international partners such as Australia and Canada.
The strategy also seeks to ensure no more than 60 per cent of the UK’s supply of any single critical mineral is sourced from one country by 2035.
Speaking to Reuters, UK Industry Minister Chris McDonald said the UK was open to bilateral agreements with countries including Australia, noting that critical minerals were “very much” part of the AUKUS partnership.
“Part of the strategy is our [Ministry of Defence] procurement plan as well, which includes stockpiling of critical minerals,” McDonald said.
Australia was listed as a “priority partner” in the UK’s strategy, building on a 2023 Statement of Intent between the two nations to strengthen cooperation on critical minerals.