Papua New Guinea and Australia are edging closer to a landmark defence treaty, after key officials initialled the draft and set a formal signing date. Foreign Affairs Secretary Elias Wohengu and Australia’s Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty initialled the draft at Murray Barracks on Monday, 25 August 2025, with Defence Minister Dr Billy Joseph confirming that a full treaty signing is expected on Monday 15 September.
The move comes as the two nations press ahead with negotiations amid growing attention to security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, including heightened focus on China’s expanding influence in the Pacific. PNG maintains a foreign policy of friendship with all and enemies to none, but the draft pact signals Port Moresby’s intent to anchor its defence future with its closest partner.
Defence Minister Dr Billy Joseph called the treaty historic, outlining five core elements the agreement would enshrine:
– A Natural Progression: Strengthening the long-standing PNG Defence Force–Australian Defence Force relationship that predates PNG’s independence.
– Cross-Recruitment Opportunities: Opening ADF service to Papua New Guineans to create career paths for youth and professionals.
– Boosting PNGDF Capability: Enhanced training, joint exercises, and resource-sharing to lift PNG’s defence capacity.
– Respect for Sovereignty: ADF troops in PNG would operate under PNG law, while PNGDF personnel would follow Australian law.
– Strategic Trust: A foundation for broader cooperation in labour mobility, immigration, and regional security.
Prime Minister James Marape underscored that the pact is about more than “boots on the ground,” emphasising a deeper partnership that supports resilience, development, and the protection of sovereign interests. He stressed that PNG’s sovereign rights would come first and highlighted a 20-year roadmap for the defence sector that centers on building capability, interoperability, and self-reliance.
Key elements of the roadmap, as outlined, include:
– Military capability: Maintaining three PNG land battalions, totaling about 5,000–7,000 personnel, with upgraded training and equipment.
– Interoperability: Creating a joint Air Wing to support defence, policing, disaster response, and national security.
– National Volunteer Service: Introducing civilian military training and activating a Reserve Force to boost preparedness.
– Discipline: Enforcing strict no-smoking and no-drinking rules for new recruits for at least five years.
– Self-sufficiency: Bringing logistics, catering, medical, and engineering services in-house to reduce reliance on private contractors.
– Financial sustainability: Reinvesting funds to sustain internal capacity after recent economic shortfalls.
PM Marape added that the PNG defence force is tasked with safeguarding the nation and not deploying against its own people, calling for a collaborative effort to ensure a safer, stronger future for generations. The treaty would expand and modernise the PNG–Australia defence partnership that has its roots in World War II and has grown through decades of cooperation, with proposals for joint operations, disaster response, and a pathway for PNG nationals to serve in the Australian Defence Force.
Context around the negotiations remains sensitive to regional geopolitics. Australia has previously explored Pacific recruitment possibilities for the ADF, though entry would remain subject to strict criteria and citizenship requirements. Analysts view the PNG–Australia dialogue as a strategic effort to counterbalance China’s influence in the Pacific while avoiding earlier domestic political hurdles seen with international agreements in PNG.
Beyond the treaty, observers note that the broader security architecture in the region is evolving. The timing of the talks comes as Australia and PNG also advance military cooperation and security infrastructure projects in the region, including ongoing discussions about base access, training, and interoperability with regional partners.
What readers should watch for next:
– The exact text of the defence treaty, including provisions on basing, access to facilities, and the scope of personnel exchanges.
– Parliamentary ratification processes in PNG, which historically require careful domestic consideration for international treaties.
– Details on whether PNG citizens would have formal pathways to serve in the Australian Defence Force, and how labour mobility and immigration provisions would be implemented.
– How the new agreement might interact with other regional security arrangements and with broader efforts to enhance disaster response and humanitarian cooperation.
Additional value and broader context:
– This step is part of a broader pattern of strengthening Pacific security partnerships amid shifting regional dynamics and rising concerns about China’s influence. It aligns with a broader narrative of deepening operational cooperation, joint training, and enhanced interoperability, potentially including participation in joint exercises such as Talisman Sabre in the future.
– Infrastructure and capability development in PNG, including improvements to bases and training facilities, would support longer-term security, disaster response, and sovereignty preservation, reinforcing regional stability if implemented with transparent governance and accountable capacity-building.
Summary:
Papua New Guinea and Australia advanced toward a formal defence treaty, with the draft initialled and a signing date set for 15 September 2025. The pact would formalise a deep, multi-faceted partnership—covering force interoperability, joint training, labour mobility, and sovereignty protections—while outlining a 20-year plan to expand PNG’s military capability. In the broader regional context, the agreement signals a concerted effort to bolster security ties in the face of evolving Indo-Pacific dynamics and growing competition for influence in the Pacific.
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