Singapore, 30 May 2026 – Italian Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto travelled to Singapore from 28 to 30 May to participate in the Shangri-La Dialogue, the leading security and defence forum in the Indo-Pacific, which brought together leaders from more than forty countries, including the United States, represented by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, as well as most Asian nations.
Accompanied by Ambassador Dante Brandi, Minister Crosetto met with his Singaporean counterpart, Chan Chun Sing, reaffirming the renewed momentum in bilateral relations launched by the meeting between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on the margins of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. On that occasion, the two leaders agreed on a three-year action plan aimed at elevating Italy–Singapore relations to a strategic partnership.
The two Ministers attended the exchange of texts relating to the agreement on resilience of defence value chains and, during a cordial discussion, addressed avenues for further military cooperation between the two countries, Singapore’s proposal concerning the “GUIDE” initiative (Guiding Principles for Underwater Infrastructure Defence Exchanges), with particular reference to the protection of critical undersea infrastructure, as well as ongoing international security challenges, beginning with the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The programme also included meetings and exchanges with counterparts from Indo-Pacific countries — including Australia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam — on key issues relating to regional security and multilateral cooperation, as well as discussions with representatives of Italian defence companies operating in the region.
The visit included a stop aboard the Giovanni delle Bande Nere, the Italian Multi-Purpose Combat Ship (MPCS), which carried out an operational port call at Changi Naval Base from 27 to 31 May as part of its Indo-Pacific deployment campaign.
“The Indo-Pacific is today a global strategic region on which maritime routes, energy supplies, trade and critical technologies — including those essential to Italy and Europe — increasingly depend.
For this reason, Italy is devoting growing attention to the region, maintaining a sustainable presence focused on cooperation, maritime security and dialogue with international partners, while remaining fully aligned with its Euro-Atlantic priorities.
The participation of the aircraft carrier Cavour and of the F-35 aircraft of the Italian Navy and Italian Air Force in Exercise Pitch Black 2024, together with the operational deployment currently being carried out by Giovanni delle Bande Nere, confirms Italy’s contribution — alongside other European partners — to the security and stability of the region.” Said Minister Crosetto.
