US lawmakers push to expand Indo-Pacific space defence pact with Japan, South Korea

Washington, March 28
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers announced the introduction of legislation to expand a key multinational space defence coalition to include Indo-Pacific allies such as Japan and South Korea, amid growing concerns over China and Russia’s capabilities in space.

The proposed Indo-Pacific Space Partnership Act of 2026 would require the US Space Force’s Chief of Space Operations to submit a report to Congress on the feasibility of widening the Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender (MNF-OOD), the lawmakers said.

“As China and Russia rapidly develop advanced space capabilities, the United States must bolster space cooperation with our allies to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Senator Michael Bennet said.

“Bringing additional allies into MNF-OOD will increase resilience, enhance burden-sharing, and reinforce deterrence – strengthening our collective capacity to protect the space assets that underpin our national security and economies,” he added.

Republican Senator Kevin Cramer said expanding the coalition would strengthen collective defence. “Expanding Operation Olympic Defender with allies like Japan and the Republic of Korea makes us stronger together,” he said.

“Our coalition boosts deterrence, reinforces resilience, and protects our space infrastructure. By expanding the network to include allies in the same region as some of greatest adversaries and competitors, we are much more capable of countering hostile actions in space,” Cramer added.

MNF-OOD is a US-led partnership currently comprising seven allies — Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It focuses on interoperability, space domain awareness, and deterring hostile actions in orbit.

The legislation mandates a detailed report within one year of enactment, assessing both feasibility and strategic value.

The report must outline current efforts to expand the coalition and identify policy or funding changes required for countries such as Japan and South Korea to join. It will also assess how such expansion would affect US national security and whether it serves national interests.

Additionally, the study must examine what resources or authorities would be needed from both the executive and legislative branches to support expansion.

The push comes amid broader efforts in Washington to strengthen multilateral space cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Bennet has backed multiple initiatives linking space policy with regional security, including legislation addressing gaps in partnerships involving Taiwan.

Lawmakers have also incorporated provisions in recent defence authorisation measures to deepen coordination with allies such as Japan, South Korea, Australia, and India on space-related activities.