The Ministry of Defence (Abbreviation

Abbreviation

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...

: MINDEF; Chinese: 新加坡国防部 ; ; ) is a ministry

Ministry (government department)

A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...

 of the Government of Singapore

Government of Singapore

The Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to mean the Executive branch of government, which is made up of the President and the Cabinet of Singapore. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check...

 entrusted with overseeing the national defence needs of the Republic of Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

. It is the headquarters of the Singapore Armed Forces

Singapore Armed Forces

The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...

. It has a policy of Total Defence

Total Defence

Total Defence is the name of Singapore's comprehensive defence strategy, adapted from countries like Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria...

which consists of Military Defence, Civil Defence, Economic Defence, Social Defence and Psychological Defence.
The Ministry of Defence, together with the Ministry of Home Affairs

Ministry of Home Affairs (Singapore)

The Ministry of Home Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for public safety, civil defence and immigration. It is also known as the Home Team. It is headed by the Minister for Home Affairs....

 was created on 11 August 1970 by splitting up the then-Ministry of Interior and Defence

Ministry of Interior and Defence

The Ministry of Interior and Defence of Singapore was set up in 1965, with Dr. Goh Keng Swee as the first Minister. The Ministry was responsible for both internal and external security, controlling both the Police Force and the Armed Forces....

.
The SAF's declared mission statement 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."
The aim of MINDEF's defence policy is to ensure that Singapore enjoys peace and stability, and that Singapore's sovereignty and territorial integrity are protected.