SINGAPORE: In Singapore, Total Defence Day is commemorated on Feb 15 – the day that Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942. Besides being a date of historical significance, Total Defence Day reminds Singaporeans of our collective responsibility to defend our sovereignty and way of life.
Against the current backdrop of a weakening international rules-based order, Singapore’s territorial integrity cannot be taken for granted. Middle powers and small states should invest in their collective resilience – which has been a fundamental cornerstone of Total Defence for more than 40 years.
In his Budget speech, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said Singapore will strengthen its defence against unmanned aerial threats and cyberattacks. Singapore currently spends about 3 per cent of its gross domestic product on defence, and could spend more to keep up with evolving threats.
Besides hardware and infrastructure, a country’s resilience depends greatly on its people’s readiness. Exercise SG Ready 2026, currently in its third iteration, was launched on Feb 1. During the two-week exercise from Feb 1 to 15, companies and organisations went through scenarios to strengthen their business continuity plans for degraded digital connectivity and prolonged power outages.
The vulnerabilities of Singapore’s critical infrastructure are real. In July 2025, Singapore named a state-linked advanced persistent threat, UNC3886 for the first time.
Collective resilience also includes looking out for one another in times of crisis and disruption. During Exercise SG Ready 2026, Total Defence Champions and the People’s Association’s Community Emergency Response Team volunteers identified and reached out to those in need. This tested volunteer mobilisation processes and fostered a sense of shared responsibility within the community.
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Against the current backdrop of a weakening international rules-based order, Singapore’s territorial integrity cannot be taken for granted. Middle powers and small states should invest in their collective resilience – which has been a fundamental cornerstone of Total Defence for more than 40 years.
In his Budget speech, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said Singapore will strengthen its defence against unmanned aerial threats and cyberattacks. Singapore currently spends about 3 per cent of its gross domestic product on defence, and could spend more to keep up with evolving threats.
Besides hardware and infrastructure, a country’s resilience depends greatly on its people’s readiness. Exercise SG Ready 2026, currently in its third iteration, was launched on Feb 1. During the two-week exercise from Feb 1 to 15, companies and organisations went through scenarios to strengthen their business continuity plans for degraded digital connectivity and prolonged power outages.
The vulnerabilities of Singapore’s critical infrastructure are real. In July 2025, Singapore named a state-linked advanced persistent threat, UNC3886 for the first time.
Collective resilience also includes looking out for one another in times of crisis and disruption. During Exercise SG Ready 2026, Total Defence Champions and the People’s Association’s Community Emergency Response Team volunteers identified and reached out to those in need. This tested volunteer mobilisation processes and fostered a sense of shared responsibility within the community.
Continue reading...