Speech by Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing at the SAF Day Reception on 14 July 2026 at the Ritz-Carlton, Jakarta, Indonesia

MENHAN Pak Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin,

Panglima TNI GEN Pak Agus Subiyanto,

Chief of Defence Force Vice Admiral Aaron Beng,

Ambassador Pak Hotmangaradja Pandjaitan,

Ambassador Kwok Fook Seng,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very good evening to all of you.

Thank you for joining us today to commemorate 61 years of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Your presence here reflects the strong bonds we have built over the years, and I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for your contributions to the development of the SAF and the enduring SAF-TNI relationship.

The SAF was established with a singular purpose: to safeguard Singapore's security and sovereignty. However, we have always believed that true security is not achieved in isolation. It is best safeguarded through partnerships that promote peace and stability, while working closely with partners like the TNI.

Partners like Indonesia and the TNI have been and will continue to be critical to the security of this part of the world, and our partnership will continue to promote peace in the broader region.

The SAF-TNI relationship has stood the test of time. Sedikit demi sedikit, lama lama menjadi bukit Little by little, over time it becomes a hill. Our partnership has grown steadily over the past 50 years, forged through shared challenges and mutual support.

In operations, we have responded to humanitarian disasters, tackled terrorism threats, and conducted maritime security operations through joint patrols in the Malacca Straits. In training, we conduct regular exercises across the services: from the longest running Exercise Eagle INDOPURA, conducted by our navies since 1974, to Exercise GRIFFIN CAKTI, our latest multi-domain exercise involving naval, air, cyber and special operations units.

These efforts exemplify the close partnership and trust that we have built over decades.

However, the true strength of our partnership lies in the personal trust built between our people.

As a former Army Attaché to Indonesia, I have made many good friends in the TNI that I grew up with, including MENHAN Pak Sjafrie. Through courses, exchanges and exercises, many more in the SAF and TNI have similar stories to share.

Good relations between the SAF and TNI foster trust between both countries.

The Indonesia-Singapore (INDOSIN) Defence Alumni which we had just launched earlier represents our shared commitment to fostering deeper ties for the future. The network aims to provide an official medium to develop enduring friendships across generations of defence professionals from both nations. I thank Pak Hotman for first conceiving this idea in 2025 and anticipate it bearing fruit in time to come. Thank you Pak Hotman.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to exploring new opportunities for collaboration that will benefit both our nations. In the near term, we have the co-development of the Siabu Air Weapons Range, as well as training facilities in Batu Raja and West Kalimantan.

Beyond these initiatives, we will continue to seek win-win opportunities to deepen our cooperation and enhance our collective capabilities.

With the world becoming increasingly complex, we call on all partners represented here to continue working together to keep our region open, stable, and secure.

As the saying goes, "Berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing" - burdens are lighter when we carry them together. The trust that we build over the years will become our shared resilience for the future.

We have done much together, we have much more to do, and I hope that with your support, we will continue planting the seeds of mutual trust and cooperation for generations to come.

Thank you Pak Sjafrie, thank you Pak Hotman, and thank you to all of you for playing your part in the continuing relationship between Singapore and Indonesia, between the TNI and the SAF.

Thank you very much.

More Resources

Singapore and Indonesia Launch Indonesia-Singapore Defence Alumni Initiative, Reaffirm Strong and Long-standing Bilateral Defence Relations

Fact Sheet: Indonesia-Singapore Defence Alumni (Persahan) Initiative