To what extent should the UK's Armed Forces once again be prepared to operate routinely east of Suez?

This paper examines whether and to what extent the UK's armed forces should again be prepared to operate east of Suez. The Wilson's Government's 1967 declaration of withdrawal from Singapore and Malaysia arguably signalled the end of Britain's role in the Far East and prompted claims of abandonment by its former dominions. Yet the UK retained a persistent link with its former Commonwealth dependencies through the Five Powers Defence Arrangements (FPDA).

The paper argues that in the current regional environment, which includes both instability as well as increasing prosperity and trade opportunities, this connection remains important to the UK. However, clarity is needed on what the UK would hope to achieve through re-engagement with the Far East, particularly post-Brexit. The paper concludes that the UK armed forces can play an important role in the region, particularly among ASEAN members, not least by contributing to confidence-building measures and through continuing and active participation in FPDA.

This paper was also featured in the Indo-Pacific Strategic Digest Summer 2016.

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