Singapore PM Wong Stresses Strong Defence Amid Global Uncertainty

SINGAPORE, April 9 (NNN-Bernama) - Singapore must remain resilient and well-prepared to navigate the global landscape, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday, underscoring that strong defence capabilities are critical to safeguarding the republic's security.

He said that while Singapore has been addressing the impact of ongoing conflicts in West Asia, particularly on energy security, the republic must remain vigilant across multiple fronts, including food resilience and critical supply chains.

“We all know that we are in a world where the global order is coming apart, and that means we must be prepared for more disorder, more conflicts, and more fighting around the world in the years ahead.

“We wish it were not so, but this is the reality of the world we live in, and we must be prepared,” he told the media after visiting the army's 6th Singapore Division/Headquarters Sense and Strike at Mandai Hill Camp on Thursday.

The video of his press conference was made available on the official YouTube page of Channel News Asia.

According to Wong, Singapore's defence establishment has been learning from recent conflicts, harnessing new technologies, and adapting to transform the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Citing developments in Ukraine and Iran, he said warfare has evolved significantly, with greater use of unmanned systems and advanced technologies.

“The good thing is that we have been consistently investing in our defence capabilities over the decades.

“It is not just about buying new platforms; more important is how we integrate these new capabilities well across different domains, between the operations and the technology teams, and across different services in the SAF,” he added.

Wong also highlighted the importance of human capital development within the armed forces in ensuring national security.

“We have to depend on ourselves to defend Singapore, and that is why we have built up and invested consistently in the SAF from the very beginning, and that overall posture remains consistent now,” he noted.

- NNN-BERNAMA

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