United States (US) Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III is in Singapore for an official visit and to attend the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD). Secretary Austin called on Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Shangri-La Hotel this afternoon. He also called on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong earlier this morning.

During their meeting, Dr Ng and Secretary Austin reaffirmed the excellent bilateral defence relationship and mutually beneficial partnership between Singapore and the US, and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation. Dr Ng expressed appreciation for the US' long-standing support for the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) training in the US, as well as for the SAF's technology access, including the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)'s acquisition and operationalisation of the F-35 aircraft. Dr Ng and Secretary Austin discussed geopolitical developments and regional security issues, and reaffirmed the importance of the US' continued engagement in the Asia-Pacific region. Secretary Austin conveyed his appreciation for Singapore's consistent support for the US' military presence in our region, including the hosting of rotational deployments.

Prior to the call, Dr Ng and Secretary Austin witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Defence Innovation Cooperation. Signed by Chief Defence Scientist Mr. Tan Peng Yam and the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense Mr. Douglas A. Beck, the MOU allows both defence establishments to identify opportunities to leverage commercial dual-use and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy, to solve operational challenges for both militaries. Under this MOU, both sides will work on innovative solutions to address contemporary security challenges, including the development of counter-uncrewed aircraft systems (C-UAS) capabilities, and other technologies to safeguard maritime security.

Dr Ng affirmed the signing of the MOU, and said, "Emerging and dual-use technologies are rapidly evolving, and defence establishments need to find ways to better harness these commercial technologies at the speed of relevance. This MOU is a significant step for Singapore and the US in strengthening our respective defence ecosystems, particularly the commercial space, to adopt innovation solutions for our armed forces."

Secretary Austin's visit to Singapore underscores the excellent and long-standingbilateral defence relationship and the mutually-beneficial partnership between Singaporeand the US. Secretary Austin will speak at a plenary session titled "United States' Strategic Partnerships in the Indo-Pacific" on 1 June 2024 during the 21st SLD.