SINGAPORE: Ministers from five countries have reaffirmed their nations’ commitment to a defence agreement that has been in place for more than 50 years.
The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FDPA) was formed in 1971 against the backdrop of armed conflict across Southeast Asia, and comprises Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Singapore’s Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing hosted breakfast on Saturday (May 31) for Australia’s Minister for Defence Richard Marles, the UK’s Minister of State Lord Vernon Coaker, New Zealand’s Minister of Defence Judith Collins and Malaysia’s Minister of Defence Mohamed Khaled Nordin on the sidelines of the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue.
During the breakfast, the ministers reaffirmed their nations’ commitment to the FPDA , and the importance of keeping the FPDA and its exercises relevant to “address contemporary security challenges”, said Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).
They also commended the pact’s progress in implementing the guidance from the 12th FPDA Defence Ministers’ Meeting (FDMM) last year, particularly in raising exercise complexity.
The 2024 edition of Exercise Bersama Lima (XBL24) was marked by the inaugural participation of fifth-generation fighter aircraft such as F-35 fighter jets from Australia and a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft from New Zealand.
“Looking ahead, the ministers look forward to the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group’s participation in XBL25, which would be a milestone achievement for the FPDA, and reaffirm the importance of committing high-end assets to FPDA exercises to enhance their professional value,” said MINDEF.
“The ministers also affirmed the continued strategic relevance of the FPDA as a constructive, transparent and peaceful defence arrangement which plays an important role in the regional security architecture.”
