Overview
- On May 31 at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, defence ministers from Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom reaffirmed their commitment to the Five Power Defence Arrangements
- They commended progress in raising the complexity of FPDA drills in line with guidance from last year’s Defence Ministers’ Meeting
- The 2024 edition of Exercise Bersama Lima introduced fifth-generation platforms, notably Australia’s F-35 fighter jets and New Zealand’s P-8 maritime patrol aircraft
- Ministers welcomed plans for the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group to join Exercise Bersama Lima 25, marking a milestone in high-end asset integration
- Separately, Chan Chun Sing held bilateral talks with Japan’s Defence Minister Gen Nakatani to reaffirm defence ties and expand cyber exchanges and technology collaboration