Ng Eng Hen & US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hold introductory call, reaffirm defence ties

Ng thanked Hegseth for training opportunities for Singapore Air Force squadrons in the U.S.

Tan Min-Wei

February 08, 2025, 11:49 AM

Singapore’s defence minister Ng Eng Hen and the newly appointed United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held an introductory call on Feb. 5.

The pair discussed key initiatives across the U.S. and Singapore’s extensive, bilateral defence partnership.

Shouldering immense responsibilities

Ng elaborated on the call in a social media post, published the day after.

In the post, he said he was “happy and honoured” to speak to Hegseth.

Congratulating him on his appointment, Ng also said Hegseth had to shoulder "immense responsibilities" regarding the U.S. military's global presence and influence.

Hegseth expressed appreciation for Singapore's strong partnership with the U.S. based on shared values and interests.

Support and training

Hegseth thanked Singapore for supporting and facilitating the rotation of U.S. military assets through Paya Lebar Airbase and Changi Naval Base.

Ng in turn thanked Hegseth for training opportunities in the U.S. for Singapore's F-16 and F-15SG squadrons, as well as for an upcoming F-35 detachment.

According to a U.S. embassy readout, the pair discussed the regional strategic environment and reaffirmed the importance of working together to ensure a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

Both sides also pledged to strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit and regional stability.

Invitation to dialogue

Ng invited Hegseth to visit Singapore, and to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue, due to begin on May 30.

The Shangri-La Dialogue is Asia’s premier defence summit, and 2025 will mark the 22nd edition of the conference.

The International Institute of Strategic Studies, the conference's organiser, recently announced the keynote speaker for this year would be French president Emmanuel Macron.

U.S. defence secretaries are regular attendees of the SLD conference, which will provide Hegseth with a platform to communicate to regional partners what the new Trump administration's regional policy will be in upcoming years, as well as potentially meet with regional counterparts.