Speech by Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing at the Defence Scholarship Awards Ceremony at Temasek Club on 12 August 2026

A very good evening to all our distinguished guests, recipients of the Defence Scholarship Awards, ladies and gentlemen.

Let me first start by congratulating each and every one of our scholarship recipients on being awarded the prestigious Defence Scholarship. Today, we celebrate not just your academic and personal achievements, but also, more importantly, your decision to step forward to serve Singapore. This is a commitment that goes beyond yourselves – it is a commitment to safeguard our nation, to uphold its values, and to continue the mission to keep our country safe and successful.

Your decision to serve is not a small one. History has shown us that it is never easy for a small country without a natural hinterland to survive or even thrive. Yet, for the last 61 years, Singapore has defied the odds of history. We have turned our vulnerabilities into strength by making the world our hinterland. We earn our keep by connecting with people, ideas, markets, and resources across the globe. We have built a nation that stands as a beacon of meritocracy, cohesion amidst diversity, and long-term thinking. These are the values that underpin our success, and they are the values you will carry forward in your own journey through MINDEF, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), and the Defence Technology organisations.

In MINDEF and the SAF, the work we do is not measured, and never measured, by the short term or the immediate. It is measured by generations. Our mission is to keep Singapore safe and secure – not just for today, but for tomorrow and beyond. This requires us to think ahead, to anticipate the challenges, and to prepare for them long before they become apparent to others.

Take, for example, the technologies that are making headlines in recent conflicts – drones, cyber threats, and robotics. These may seem new to the public, but they are certainly not new to MINDEF or the SAF. The SAF has been operating drones for over 30 years, including in real-world operations. Even back in 1997, Major Chan Chun Sing and his colleagues were already writing papers on computer viruses and robotics fly on the wall sniffers. This preparation has allowed us to seize opportunities as technology matures and becomes more accessible. But remember, opportunities only favour the prepared.

Now, it is your turn to take up the mantle of protecting Singapore for the next generation. This is no small task, and it comes with its own set of challenges. Let me highlight three key challenges that you will face and must overcome as a team.

1. First, to develop new operational concepts that can surprise our potential adversaries. To effectively defend Singapore, we must not fight tomorrow’s wars with yesterday’s concepts. Our task is to think creatively and strategically, to develop new operational concepts that can surprise and outmanoeuvre potential threats before they even arise.

2. Second, to master emerging technologies. Cutting-edge technologies often take decades to develop and master. As you grow in MINDEF, SAF, Defence Science and Technology Agency, or DSO National Laboratories, you will be inspired by the quiet dedication of those who have worked tirelessly to deliver Singapore’s secret edge in the decades before today. Your challenge is to, similarly, stay ahead of the curve, to master these technologies before they become commonplace, and to ensure that Singapore remains at the forefront of defence innovation.

3. Third, our evergreen ethos – to take care of the men and women we work with. Leadership is not just about strategy and technology; it is, ultimately, about people. The men and women you work with – whether they are Full-time National Servicemen, Operationally Ready NSmen, or civilian specialists – they are the heart of our defence. Our role is to imbue them with the commitment and the will to stand our ground, so that we will always answer the call of duty even in the toughest of times. If you look at the type of new skillsets that our people can have and will have, you will also find new ways that we will organise ourselves. For example, you look at the growing talent pool in the Digital and Intelligence Service and other specialist fields. They exemplify the military-civilian nexus that strengthens our defence ecosystem, that goes beyond the 2 + 10 years of conscription and compulsory service.

Finally, I want all of us to remember that MINDEF and the SAF are never about the individual, but the team and the mission. As you embark on this journey, you will know, and you must remember, that you are never alone. You are now part of a bigger family, a tribe with a common ethos bounded by our shared mission and purpose. Let me say this; welcome to the family, welcome to our tribe. Together, we will continue to build on the legacies and the good work of those who have come before us, but our work is never done.

Let me leave you with a vignette that Mr. Lim Siong Guan, our former Head of Civil Service and Permanent Secretary for Defence, had taught us when we were young. He once taught us that the true measure of success in defence is when we have built up a capability, never have to use it, retired it quietly, and no one outside even knew it existed. This is when we know we have succeeded. This is when we know we have the quiet confidence to deal with what may come our way but we never have to tell others what we do.

Congratulations once again, and I look forward to you joining the family and the tribe to carry on this sacred mission of ours to help Singapore succeed and thrive and to defy the odds of history. You will be the generation that will take Singapore to SG100 in 39 years, and that is our first milestone as a nation in the long type of history.

Thank you very much.

More Resources

101 Award Recipients, One Defence Community

Fact Sheet: The Defence Scholarships and Profiles of Scholarship Recipients