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Parliament

Securing Singapore’s Place in a Changing World

15 September 2025

Find out how Singapore is strengthening national defence, foreign relations and national security capabilities to safeguard its place in a changing world.

MINDEF addendum

Photos by: MINDEF

At the opening of the First Session of the 15th Parliament on 5 September 2025, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam spoke on the need to secure our home and safeguard Singapore’s place in a changing world. 

The Government will strengthen our defence capabilities, ensure our military readiness, and support our NSmen. On the global front, we will deepen relations with like-minded partners, and uphold multilateral frameworks to safeguard commons goals. At home, we will strengthen our collective resilience and equip Singaporeans to stay vigilant and united against domestic threats and external manipulation. 

The following agencies have outlined key initiatives and focus areas under the theme of “Securing Singapore’s Place in a Changing World”:

For more details, please refer to the President's Address at the First Session of the 15th Parliament (opens in new tab).

Ministry of Defence

1. Enhancing Strategic Relevance

  • Deepen our relevance to existing defence partners, while actively building and expanding collaborations with new ones.

  • Contribute to multilateral platforms and partnerships that uphold respect for international law and preserve a rules-based order.

2. Staying Ahead in Military Readiness

  • Continue to evolve the SAF’s operational concepts, accelerate digital transformation, and adopt advances in technologies that serve as force multipliers.

  • Strengthen the SAF’s indigenous capacities and develop unique value propositions, so as to position ourselves as a partner of choice in capability building, technology innovation and supply chain resilience.

3. Strengthening National Service (NS)

  • Strengthen our overall capabilities through effective deployment of our service personnel and the adoption of technologies that complement and amplify their strengths.

  • Refine our medical classification system; redesign vocations and roles; and provide more opportunities for Operationally-Ready National Servicemen to apply their civilian expertise.

4. Building Whole-of-Nation Resilience

  • Broaden avenues and expand opportunities for volunteers of different ages, skillsets and backgrounds to contribute to national defence.

  • Continue to prepare Singapore for crises and disruptions and uphold our collective resilience across generations through Total Defence.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

1. Strengthening Relations with our Immediate Neighbours, ASEAN, and Major and Middle powers

  • Enhance connectivity and strengthen economic and people-to-people ties with Malaysia through special projects like Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone and the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link.

  • Pursue cooperation with Indonesia in new areas like renewable energy and human capital development.

  • Deepen ASEAN integration, by upgrading and fully implementing our trade agreements, deepening cross border digital frameworks, developing the ASEAN Power Grid and advancing green economy standards.

  • Strengthen ties with both the US and China across multiple domains.

  • Expand partnerships with middle powers and countries in emerging regions of growth, including opening of new diplomatic missions in Africa and Latin America.

  • Strengthen the Singapore Cooperation Programme to share development experience with others, through the newly set up Development Partnerships Directorate in MFA.

  • Build economic resilience through growing network of free trade agreements, including through possible partnerships between CPTPP, EU and ASEAN.

2. Reinforcing Singapore’s Longstanding Role as a Credible and Reliable Partner

  • Proactively support effective rules-based multilateralism at the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

  • Demonstrate our commitment to be a responsible co-steward of the global commons, including through advancing positive agendas on Artificial Intelligence, climate change and pandemic preparedness.

  • Put forward Ambassador for International Law Rena Lee to serve as a Judge in the International Court of Justice and Mr Daren Tang for re-election as the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

3. Supporting Singaporeans Overseas and Engaging Singaporeans at Home on Foreign Policy

  • Continue to provide prompt and effective consular services, and enhance emergency response coordination through digital tools like the eRegister platform.

  • Continue to engage fellow Singaporeans to foster better understanding of Singapore’s core foreign policy considerations and maintain national unity to withstand external pressures.

Prime Minister’s Office (National Security Coordination Secretariat)

1. Identifying and Addressing National Security Risks

  • Work with government agencies to identify key emerging, cross-cutting security risks; and assess security implications of these risks on and across various domains.

  • Develop solutions and co-ordinate responses to address such risks.

2. Strengthening our National Security Capabilities

  • Support efforts to strengthen our national security capabilities, including the Public Service’s capability to respond in a well-coordinated manner.

Read other key initiatives and focus areas outlined in the President's Address (opens in new tab):