Senior officials reaffirmed longstanding bilateral ties and advanced new initiatives under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation MOU.
Singapore and Australia strengthened their defence partnership during a series of high-level meetings in Sydney on 25 November 2025. Deputy Secretary (Policy) Brigadier-General Frederick Choo and Chief of Staff–Joint Staff Brigadier-General Chan Ching Hao co-chaired the 5th Track 1.5 Defence Dialogue, the 30th Singapore–Australia Policy Talks (SAPT) and the 11th Australia Defence Force–SAF Annual Staff Talks (ASAST).
Across the dialogues, both sides reaffirmed the close and longstanding nature of Singapore–Australia defence relations. Discussions focused on regional security developments, shared strategic concerns, and the continued importance of practical cooperation in strengthening the resilience of both defence establishments.
BG Choo met with Australia’s Deputy Secretary (Strategy, Policy and Industry) Mr Hugh Jeffrey from the Australian Department of Defence to discuss the implementation of initiatives under the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding concerning Enhanced Defence Cooperation (eDC MOU). The MOU aims to expand collaboration in training, capability development and emerging defence domains.
Separately, BG Chan and Vice Chief of the Defence Force Air Marshal Robert Chipman reviewed ongoing military-to-military activities between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Australia Defence Force (ADF). The talks explored future opportunities for joint training, exercises and exchanges to further enhance interoperability between both forces.
The successful conclusion of the meetings reaffirmed the strong foundation of trust and cooperation underpinning the bilateral defence relationship. Both countries expressed confidence in building on these frameworks to support regional stability and deepen collaboration in the years ahead.
Source: Singapore Ministry of Defence
