Held from 12 to 16 October 2025, RSIS organised the 26th iteration of its flagship conference, the Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO).
Since its inception in 1999 by the late Mr S.R. Nathan, Singapore’s 6th President and then-Director of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS), APPSMO has served as a platform for professional exchange and dialogue among military leaders. Mr Nathan envisioned a global programme that would foster interaction among military professionals and support the continuous development of military thought and practice. Staying true to that vision, the Conference continues to convene senior officers, scholars, and practitioners from across Asia-Pacific and beyond to examine contemporary and emerging security challenges.
With the theme “Multilateralism as a Bulwark in a Changing Global Environment”, the conference examined the evolving challenges in sustaining effective multilateral cooperation in an increasingly complex international landscape. Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman of RSIS, opened the conference on the note that “multilateralism is often a delicate balancing act – where diverse interests must come together for the common good.”
In his keynote address, Mr Desmond Choo, Singapore’s Minister of State for Defence, observed that “In a world of sharp competition and growing uncertainty, we must remember one simple truth: treaties and agreements are written in ink, but trust is built through conversations and shared experiences. Strengthening multilateral cooperation through open dialogue is our best path forward.”
To set the stage for the conference, Dr Marty Natalegawa, Founder/Convenor of The Amity Circle and former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, spoke on the conference theme, underscoring the difficulties of sustaining multilateralism in an increasingly complex and fluid geopolitical landscape.
The conference featured a diverse range of lectures and panels exploring the dynamics of multilateralism, power realignments, and strategic competition in the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific. The panels explored a broad spectrum of issues, from evolving power dynamics to economic security, multilateral frameworks, and the strategic role of middle powers in maintaining stability in the region.
The 26th APPSMO also hosted two eminent keynote speakers. Dr Maliki Osman, Distinguished Fellow at RSIS, Senior Advisor (ASEAN & Flagship Programmes), and Adjunct Professor at the College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences, NTU Singapore; gave a lecture titled “A World in Flux: Multilateralism and Security for Small States”. Professor Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History, Worcester College, Oxford University, and UNESCO Professor of Silk Roads Studies, King’s College, Cambridge; spoke on “Solidarity in an Age of Shocks.” Professor Frankopan was visiting RSIS as the speaker for the S.T.Lee Distinguished Annual Lecture.
As part of APPSMO’s experiential learning segment, the participants visited the Singapore Navy Museum. The participants were briefed on the history of the Republic of Singapore Navy.
Envisioned as the conduit for mutual understanding, and at its 26th iteration, RSIS continues the APPSMO tradition of bringing together senior military leadership and leading academics on a shared path of managing complex and complicated issues of the day.
