Relationship dossier
Singapore
United States
Relationship assessment
Close partnership supported by defense cooperation, US force access arrangements, and a bilateral free trade agreement.
Singapore toward United States
+75Singapore has supported US regional military engagement through bilateral arrangements providing US forces access to facilities and logistics support. The two governments have also developed recurring defense cooperation, including joint activities and broader security frameworks.
United States toward Singapore
+75The United States has expanded defense cooperation with Singapore through bilateral frameworks, including the 2005 Strategic Framework Agreement and the 2015 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. The United States also concluded a free trade agreement with Singapore, which entered into force in 2004.
Overall relationship
+75A durable partnership combines practical defense cooperation and US access arrangements with institutionalized economic ties through the bilateral free trade agreement. These arrangements and recurring security engagement make the relationship substantially cooperative.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Singapore and the United States maintain a close partnership spanning defense, trade, and regional security. Singapore has provided access to facilities and logistics support for US forces under bilateral arrangements, while the two governments have expanded defense cooperation. Their 2004 free trade agreement and subsequent strategic and defense frameworks further underpin the relationship.
Key developments
The governments concluded a memorandum of understanding providing for US access to Singapore facilities.
The Singapore–United States Free Trade Agreement entered into force.
The governments signed the Strategic Framework Agreement, expanding defense and security cooperation.
The governments signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, broadening cooperation in areas including maritime security and humanitarian assistance.
Major uncertainties
- The precise scope and implementation of defense cooperation arrangements may change over time.