Singapore expects security-related expenditure to rise in coming years

Defence spending to stay at around 3% of GDP, but Republic prepared to spend more

- Samuel Devaraj Correspondent

Singapore expects its security-related expenditures to rise in the coming years, as it strives to keep itself safe and secure in a more dangerous world.

The city-state will also strengthen its collective cyberdefence capabilities by deepening partnerships with industry, at a time when the digital domain has become an increasingly contested arena, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Feb 12.

In his Budget speech, PM Wong said Singapore is keeping its defence spending at around 3 per cent of its gross domestic product for now, but is prepared to spend more if the need arises.

While the world has never been free of conflict, there were 61 statebased armed conflicts in 2024 - the highest number recorded since World War II, he noted.

Recent conflicts included one of the most serious clashes involving Asean member states in years, when a border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia escalated in 2025 into an open military confrontation with civilian casualties.

These developments are deeply troubling, said PM Wong. "They reflect a shrinking space for negotiation, a greater willingness to use force and a higher risk of miscalculation - with consequences that can easily spill across borders."