Thomas Hitschler meets Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad to discuss defence cooperation and security developments.
From October 2 to 4, 2024, German Parliamentary State Secretary for Defence Thomas Hitschler made a working visit to Singapore, meeting with Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad at the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). The visit underscored the strong and substantive defence relations between Singapore and Germany, with discussions focused on geopolitical and security developments, as well as ongoing defence collaboration.
During their meeting, Mr. Zaqy Mohamad expressed gratitude for Germany’s strong support for Singapore’s defence training needs and highlighted the cooperation between both countries in areas such as military training and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)’s Invincible-class submarine program. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening defence relations and acknowledged the growing significance of their partnership.
Mr. Hitschler’s working visit included briefings on Singapore’s Total Defence and National Service by Nexus and the National Service Policy Department. The exchange provided valuable insights into Singapore’s comprehensive approach to defence and the country’s national service framework.
The strong defence ties between Singapore and Germany have been bolstered by high-level visits and dialogues, military exchanges and training programs, and cross-attendance at professional courses. The partnership extends to collaborative efforts in areas like defence technology and cyber defence, strengthening the professional relationship between the two nations’ defence establishments. These ties are further solidified by the enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in 2018, which continues to facilitate growth in multiple domains of defence cooperation.
Source – MINDEF
