🇺🇸⚡️- Saronic is a new and innovative defense startup building Port Alpha, a next-gen shipyard to mass-produce autonomous warships and bring back US naval dominance. Backed by 600 million dollars and valued at 4 billion, Saronic plans to outpace traditional builders with modular, unmanned vessels from small spy boats to 150-foot warships. These drone fleets could replace some crewed ships or augment them. With China’s shipyards producing around 23.2 million tons a year, which is over 230 times more than the US’s under 100,000 tons, these drone fleets could help close that huge gap. If Port Alpha works, it could change naval warfare and America’s role at sea.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "For a generation, the United States ignored this region [Indo-Pacific]. We became distracted by open-ended wars, regime change, and nation building," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "We are done with that approach. We are focused on delivering for the American people, on safeguarding their security, on protecting their economic interests, and on using common sense to preserve peace in the Indo-Pacific," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "We are not here to pressure other countries to embrace and adopt policies or ideologies. We are not here to preach to you about climate change or cultural issues. We are not here to impose our will on you. We respect you, your traditions, and your militaries. And we want to work with you where our shared interests align for peace and prosperity," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡️- "We do not seek conflict with communist China. We will not instigate nor seek to subjugate or humiliate. But we will not be pushed out of this critical region," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "China seeks to become the hegemonic power in Asia, no doubt," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

A round of applause from other Indo-Pacific delegations present.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "China hopes to dominate and control too many parts of this vibrant and vital region. We will no longer ignore you," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "It has to be clear to all that Beijing is credibly preparing to potentially use military power to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "Any attempt by communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "China is preparing for war, we must be ready," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "We must ensure that China cannot dominate us, or our allies and partners," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "Our goal is to prevent war. And we will do this with a strong shield of deterrence. Peace through strength," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "We have shifted our focus to this [Indo-Pacific] region," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "Deterrence doesn’t come on the cheap. Just ask the American taxpayer. Time is of the essence. We must step up and move out with urgency," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "It’s hard to believe that I am saying this, but Asian allies should look to countries in Europe as a newfound example. NATO members are pledging to spend 5% of their GDP on defense, even Germany. So it doesn’t make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies in Asia spend even less in the face of an even more formidable [Chinese] threat," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "We are preparing for war in order to deter war. To achieve peace through strength. The threats we face will not wait, and nor will we wait," - Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, at the SLD 2025.

End of speech by Hegseth at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

🇮🇳🇸🇬⚡- BREAKING: "The number isn’t important, but the reason they were downed is important," - Anil Chauhan, India's Chief of Staff, confirms the loss of fighter jets during the clashes with Pakistan, at the SLD 2025.

🇮🇳🇸🇬⚡- "When we gained independence, Pakistan was ahead of in all metrics. Today, we are ahead on all fronts," - Anil Chauhan, India's Chief of Staff, at the SLD 2025.

🇪🇺🇸🇬⚡- "The EU's relationship with the US was not broken," - Kaja Kallas, EU's Foreign Policy Chief, at the SLD 2025.

🇪🇺🇸🇬⚡- "You heard his [Hegseth] speech. He was actually quite positive about Europe, so there's definitely some love there," - Kaja Kallas, EU's Foreign Policy Chief, at the SLD 2025.