The UK announced on Thursday that it will deepen the AUKUS nuclear sub partnership with Australia by signing a 50-year agreement. It expects this to boost British exports and create jobs.

Australia, Britain and U.S. signed the AUKUS agreement in 2021. This pact will provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines by the end of the decade in order to counter China's Indo-Pacific ambitions.

Last month, however, U.S. president Donald Trump began a formal review to determine if the pact met his "America First' criteria. Australia is confident that the partnership will continue.

The British Ministry of Defence said that the new British-Australian Treaty will support each country's submarine programmes, and it is expected to bring Britain up to £20 billion ($27 billion) in exports within 25 years.

The treaty was signed as Britain's Defence and Foreign Ministers visited Australia to meet with their counterparts, as well as to visit Darwin in the north of Australia where Australia is hosting its largest ever military exercise.

John Healey, British Defence minister, said: "AUKUS is a partnership that strengthens global security and drives growth in Britain. This historic treaty confirms AUKUS' commitment to the next 50 years.

Britain has said that at its height, over 21,000 people will be working in Britain on the AUKUS program.

(source: Reuters)