News Releases
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam Thanks MINDEF and SAF Personnel for Their Contributions to Singapore’s Defence
12 July 2026
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam hosted over 450 personnel from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to a reception at MINDEF this evening.
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam hosted over 450 personnel from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to a reception at MINDEF this evening. First held in 1992, the annual reception serves to recognise the commitment of MINDEF/SAF personnel as well as personnel from the Defence Technology Community (DTC), and their valuable contributions towards the defence of Singapore. The reception also recognised the efforts of service personnel who contributed to Multinational Operations, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, and Repatriation Operations.
During the reception, President Tharman interacted with Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen), Full-time National Servicemen, Regulars, Defence Executive Officers, SAF Volunteer Corps volunteers, and personnel from DTC. They shared their perspectives on National Service and the need for a strong defence. These ranged from participation in bilateral and multilateral exercises and overseas operations, to balancing NS duties with personal commitments.
Guests present at the reception included Minister for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing, Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Minister of State for Defence Mr Desmond Choo, Permanent Secretary (Defence) Mr Joseph Leong, Chief of Defence Force Vice Admiral Aaron Beng, as well as senior MINDEF and SAF officers. Members of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs (GPC-DFA), the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) and the SAF Veterans’ League were also in attendance.