In a move to replace its older submarines and match the expansion of navies in Asia, Singapore will be acquiring two new subs that will be delivered from 2024, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday.

Dr Ng, who was speaking at the opening of the 11th International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (Imdex) Asia, said: “To be effective, the Singapore navy needs to keep pace with this growth of navies in Asia.”

Maritime expert Collin Koh from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies said that one factor fuelling the growth of navies in the region is the ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

“For claimant states, naval power puts some muscle to their claims. For non-claimant states like Singapore, geopolitical uncertainty means a need to invest in insurance,” he said.