Defence spending to be kept at 3% of GDP over the next decade

Minister makes clear need for continued investment in the SAF to deter aggression

- Natasha Ann

Anyone following the news would not need convincing that the world has become a more dangerous place, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Feb 28 as he made clear the need for continued investment in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to deter aggression against Singapore.

To keep the SAF strong, the Republic will keep military spending at about 3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) over the next decade.

This is barring any conflicts or wars, Dr Ng said during the debate on the Ministry of Defence's budget. He announced several updates to the SAF's platforms, including that the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) would acquire eight

F-35A fighter aircraft to complement the 12 F-35Bs that it previously bought.

In his speech, he noted that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is in its third year, while there are worries that the Israel-Hamas conflict could spread beyond Gaza. A de facto trade war between the US and China has started, and there are worries that both countries could clash over Taiwan, he added.

All this means that he has changed his assessment of the risk of regional and global conflicts from being unlikely to being "nonzero", said Dr Ng.