SINGAPORE – Singapore and France have signed three key defence agreements to deepen bilateral cooperation in cutting-edge areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced defence technologies. The agreements were formalised during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Singapore on May 30, as both nations elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).
The agreements include a Declaration of Intent (DOI) on Enhanced Defence Cooperation, a Letter of Intent (LOI) on Defence Artificial Intelligence Cooperation, and an updated Administrative Arrangement on Defence Technology Cooperation (AADTC). These were signed by Singapore’s Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing and French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu, and witnessed by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Macron.
The DOI outlines a shared commitment to broaden defence collaboration across key areas, including digital defence and emerging technologies. It lays the groundwork for new cooperation avenues while acknowledging the ongoing support both militaries have provided to each other.
The LOI focuses on expanding the work of a joint AI defence laboratory, established in April 2023, which engages operational users and industry partners to co-develop solutions for battlefield requirements and emerging threats. Identified use cases include data analysis, combating disinformation, autonomous systems, and ensuring the safe and intended use of AI technologies.
The third agreement modernises the AADTC, first signed in 2003 and last updated in 2016. It introduces new areas of collaboration such as quantum technologies, microelectronics, and supply chain resilience.
These defence initiatives form part of a broader effort under the CSP to enhance cooperation in sectors including education, digital policy, and green energy. Notably, this is Singapore’s first CSP with a European country, following similar pacts with Australia and Vietnam.
At a joint press conference, Prime Minister Wong highlighted defence as a cornerstone of the Singapore-France relationship, emphasizing that the upgraded partnership would further reinforce cooperation in deploying defence technology and exploring critical new fields.