Ministry of Defence (Singapore)

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF; ; ; ) is a ministry under the Government of Singapore responsible for overseeing the national defence of Singapore.

History

MINDEF, together with the Ministry of Home Affairs, was created on 11 August 1970 by splitting up the then Ministry of Interior and Defence.

Responsibilities MINDEF's mission is to "enhance Singapore's peace and security through deterrence and diplomacy, and should these fail, to secure a swift and decisive victory over the aggressor."

It has a policy of Total Defence which consists of Military Defence, Civil Defence, Economic Defence, Social Defence, Psychological Defence and Digital Defence involving the people, public and private sectors of the country.

Organisational structure

MINDEF has one statutory board, the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA).

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), which consists of the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS),are the military components of MINDEF.

The Security and Intelligence Division (SID), the foreign intelligence service of Singapore, operates autonomously within the ministry.

Ministers The Ministry is headed by the Minister for Defence (Minister for Interior and Defence from 1965 to 1970), who is appointed as part of the Cabinet of Singapore.

MinisterTook officeLeft officePartyCabinetGoh Keng SweeMP for Kreta Ayer(1918–2010)9 August196516 August1967PAPLee K. IILim Kim SanMP for Cairnhill(1916–2006)17 August196710 August1970PAPLee K. IIIGoh Keng SweeMP for Kreta Ayer(1918–2010)11 August197011 February1979PAPLee K. IVLee K. VHowe Yoon ChongMP for Potong Pasir(1923–2007)12 February197931 May1982PAPLee K. VIGoh Chok TongMP for Marine Parade (until 1988) and Marine Parade GRC (from 1988)(born 1941)1 June198230 June1991PAPLee K. VIILee K. VIIIGoh IYeo Ning HongMP for Kampong Glam GRC(born 1943)1 July19911 July1994PAPGoh IILee Boon YangMP for Jalan Besar GRC(born 1947)2 July19941 August1995PAPTony TanMP for Sembawang GRC(born 1940)2 August199531 July2003PAPGoh IIIGoh IVTeo Chee HeanMP for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC(born 1954)1 August200320 May2011PAPLee H. ILee H. IINg Eng HenMP for Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC(born 1958)21 May201122 May2025PAPLee H. IIILee H. IVLee H. VWong IChan Chun SingMP for Tanjong Pagar GRC(born 1969)23 May2025IncumbentPAPWong II

Ministry of Defence (Singapore)

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