U.S., Australia, and India Face Challenges in Indian Ocean Military Cooperation
The United States, Australia, and India have been working to enhance military cooperation in the Indian Ocean through various bilateral defense agreements such as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement and the Military Logistics Support Agreement. Despite these agreements, effective military cooperation remains challenging due to institutional frictions and untested communication arrangements. A recent matrix game involving former military officials highlighted issues such as insufficiently delegated authorities and the lack of routine operational interaction, particularly with non-allied India. The game underscored the need for stronger enabling foundations for military cooperation, including delegated authorities, crisis communications, and routine operational interaction. 
