Brunei has announced a defence budget of USD440 million

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

Brunei's government has set aside BND597.67 million (USD440.3 million) for the country's defence budget year 2022–23, according to the Ministry of Defense (MinDef).

The budget represents around 10% of the government's total spending for the year, a nominal decrease of 2% from last year's BND610.17 million (USD450.18 million) defence budget.
The decrease is due to economic hardships brought on by the Covid-19 epidemic.

The Ministry of Defense has not specified how the defence budget will be used.
The increased allocation, however, will boost the Royal Brunei Armed Forces' (RBAF) efforts to strengthen Brunei's response to the epidemic, according to the statement.

 

The new appropriation is also in line with Brunei's 2021 Defence White Paper, which emphasises the Southeast Asian country's 'whole of nation' approach to defence and security, according to the statement.

Brunei's White Paper for 2021 did not include a list of military procurement requirements, but it did state that improving the RBAF's capability to deal with escalating strategic threats was a top priority.

Interoperability and joint operations were among the capabilities required, as was a better ability to maintain military equipment locally.
Counter-terrorism, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, climate change, and international crime were among the strategic challenges.

Other top goals include cyber and space capabilities, as well as the ability to respond to non-traditional threats like hybrid or grey zone activity.

 

Brunei's long-standing emphasis on 'holistic defence,' a term that refers to the need for cross-sector involvement in national security, was also reaffirmed in the White Paper.

The White Paper also requested that the Ministry of Defense reassess military equipment requirements through 2035.
This review has not yet begun, according to MinDef.