Hegseth's 'less Shangri-La, more subs' call faces ASEAN budget reality
US Defense Secretary's 3.5% GDP defense spending target proves too steep for most ASEAN nations.
The Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore concluded on Sunday with two dominant themes: defense spending and differing levels of commitment to regional peace. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday called on allies to ramp up defense spending to 3.5% of GDP, quipping "less Shangri-La, more ships, more subs" and warning that nations refusing to step up would face "a clear shift" in how Washington does business. He listed the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam as showing commitment toward that goal.
Analysts, however, pushed back against the feasibility of the target. Faizal Abdul Rahman, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told This Week in Asia that Hegseth's speech reflected the thinking of a big, rich power that could use overwhelming military or economic might to influence behavior. Most ASEAN countries, aside from Singapore, cannot realistically commit to 3.5% of GDP for defense, given their smaller economies and competing priorities. The gap between US expectations and regional capacity could strain future defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
- US Defense Secretary Hegseth proposed a 3.5% GDP defense spending target for allies at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
- Only Singapore among ASEAN nations can realistically meet that target, analysts say.
- RSIS researcher Faizal Abdul Rahman called the demand a reflection of 'big and rich power' thinking.
Why It Matters
The clash between US defense spending demands and ASEAN's fiscal realities could reshape Indo-Pacific security alliances and burden-sharing.