Australia and Singapore have sealed a landmark deal designed to protect essential trade flows and strengthen supply chain resilience during periods of global disruption.
The new Protocol on Economic Resilience and Essential Supplies will form part of the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement and deepen cooperation across energy security, critical supply chains and trade.
Signed in Adelaide on 27 July at the 15th Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee, the protocol delivers on a previous commitment made by Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Lawrence Wong to bolster the security of essential supplies, including petrol, and keep trade moving during disruptive events.
The agreement is particularly significant for Australia, which imports around 90 percent of its fuel. Singapore is Australia’s largest fuel supplier, providing 55 percent of its petrol, 15 percent of its diesel and 23 percent of its aviation fuel.
Under the protocol, essential supplies are initially defined as petroleum oils such as diesel and liquefied natural gas, alongside other goods considered critical to either economy and mutually agreed by the two countries.
Both governments have committed to “endeavour not to introduce or maintain export prohibitions or restrictions on essential supplies destined for the other country”.
They will also work together through enhanced coordination, efficient border and port processes, transparency and early consultation to keep goods moving during a disruption.
A new Australia-Singapore Economic Resilience Dialogue, co-chaired by senior officials from both countries, will provide an ongoing forum for cooperation on economic resilience and trade in essential supplies, with officials instructed to hold the inaugural Dialogue before the end of 2026.
The meeting also strengthened cooperation across defence supply chains, with the signing of the Australia-Singapore Industrial Base Resiliency Arrangement.
Building on the enhanced Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation announced in October 2025, the arrangement will deepen cooperation between the two countries’ defence industries and improve supply chain resilience.
It will support the cross-sustainment of common defence platforms, consideration of priority delivery requests for defence orders, streamlined equipment transfers, stronger industry partnerships and information sharing to mitigate supply chain risks.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles said the countries share a strong defence relationship founded on longstanding strategic trust.
“Our militaries have a long history of working together in our region, in support of the security and resilience of the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
“Today we are growing our already strong defence partnership even further by strengthening cooperation between our defence forces and our defence industries.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia and Singapore have built one of the region’s closest and most trusted partnerships, underpinned by practical cooperation across trade, defence, energy security and economic resilience.
“At a time of increasing global uncertainty, the Protocol will help ensure Australia and Singapore can respond together to disruptions and maintain access to the supplies our economies depend on,” she said.
“Australia and Singapore’s prosperity and security are closely linked. Together, we remain committed to strengthening the rules and institutions that support an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell said Singapore was one of Australia’s closest trade and investment partners, and that the protocol was an important step to ensure Australia could keep moving amid global supply chain disruptions.
The Australian agreement follows New Zealand’s world-first Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (AOTES), signed with Singapore on 4 May and brought into force on 18 July.
The pact guarantees Singapore will supply New Zealand with fuel, medicines and chemicals, while New Zealand will continue supplying food to Singapore, offering greater certainty during crisis periods.
