Executive Summary
Federal Councillor Martin Pfister will participate in the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore from May 29 to 31, 2026. The annual conference of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is considered the most important security policy platform in the Asia-Pacific region. Pfister will participate in plenary sessions and conduct bilateral talks with defence ministers. Topics include regional tensions, geopolitical rivalries, and transnational threats. The conference brings together security experts from Asia, Europe, and North America.
Persons
- Martin Pfister (Federal Councillor Switzerland)
Topics
- Security Policy
- Asia-Pacific Geopolitics
- International Stability
- Swiss Defence Policy
Clarus Lead
Swiss participation signals a strategic reorientation: while the USA strengthens its military presence in the Pacific, European states – including Switzerland – must reassess their own responsibility for security and defence capabilities. Pfister uses the conference to discuss the implications of these geopolitical shifts for Swiss interests and to deepen bilateral security partnerships.
Detailed Summary
The IISS Shangri-La Dialogue has long been the central dialogue forum for security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. The conference brings together defence ministers, senior military representatives, and security experts from multiple continents for structured exchange on shared challenges.
This year's agenda focuses on three priorities: managing regional tensions (particularly in the South China Sea and on the Korean Peninsula), the security policy consequences of great power competition, and transnational threats such as cyberattacks and terrorism. Federal Councillor Pfister will conduct bilateral talks alongside public debates to discuss security policy developments in the Asia-Pacific region and their relevance for Switzerland.
The strategic background is significant: the increasing focus of the USA on the Pacific as the centrepiece of its defence policy forces European countries to assert themselves. For Switzerland, this means strengthening its own defence capabilities and making its security policy room for manoeuvre more independent.
Key Messages
- Switzerland actively participates in the most important security policy conference in the Asia-Pacific region
- Geopolitical shift (US focus on Pacific) requires European responsibility for security
- Bilateral talks serve to deepen security partnerships and coordinate interests
Critical Questions
Evidence/Sources: What specific security policy findings does Federal Councillor Pfister plan to integrate from the Singapore talks into Swiss defence policy?
Conflicts of Interest: To what extent could a strengthened security orientation towards the Pacific influence or conflict with Swiss neutrality doctrine?
Causality: Is the "increasing strategic orientation of the USA towards the Pacific" presented as a compelling reason for Swiss defence spending, or are there alternative scenarios for Swiss security policy?
Feasibility: What concrete measures to strengthen "defence capabilities" are planned, and how will these be financed and legitimized?
Transparency: What bilateral discussion contents will be disclosed to the public or parliament?
Sources
Primary Source: State Visit Poland / Shangri-La Dialogue – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/xyU91oYU21IuZjxUmChpX
Verification Status: ✓ 29.05.2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 29.05.2026