Singapore and Brunei Armed Forces Commemorate 50 Years of Defence Relations

2026 marks the 50th anniversary of defence relations between Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. Chief of Defence Force, Vice-Admiral (VADM) Aaron Beng was in Brunei Darussalam to host a commemorative dinner involving current and former defence leaders from Brunei Darussalam. Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Defence II, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja MG(Ret) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Halbi Bin Haji Mohd Yussof attended the dinner as the Guest of Honour.

Speaking at the dinner, VADM Beng highlighted the strong and longstanding bilateral defence relationship between Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, which has enabled both countries to work well together for these past 50 years. He said, "I am confident that Brunei Darussalam and Singapore will not only preserve what we have built over the last fifty years, but will continue to deepen our partnership, adapt to new challenges, and contribute meaningfully to peace and stability in our region for many decades to come."

To celebrate this momentous milestone, VADM Beng and Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Major General (MG) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan co-launched the 50th Anniversary (SG-BRU 50) Logo. This logo symbolises the close ties built on mutual recognition, trust, and loyalty, and will be donned by Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and RBAF personnel during bilateral interactions throughout the year.

Singapore and Brunei Darussalam have deepened bilateral relationships over the years, with interactions between the SAF and the RBAF also growing in scope and complexity. This month, the Singapore Army and the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF) are conducting the 29th edition of Exercise Maju Bersama involving participants from Headquarters, 2nd Singapore Infantry Brigade (HQ 2 SIB), 1st Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (1 SIR) and 1st Battalion RBLF, and the 25th edition of Exercise Rintis Bersama involving participants from the Singapore Combat Engineers and the Engineer Regiment of RBLF. Both armed forces also interact regularly through other bilateral exercises such as Exercise Pelican and Exercise Airguard, as well as regular visits, cross attendance of courses, and professional exchanges.