SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Defence will be pumping $10 million to the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and DSO National Laboratories (DSO).

The Total Defence Innovation Fund, which will be split equally between the two organisations, will go towards research and engineering projects for DSTA and DSO staff.

"Without the use of advance technology, the Singapore Armed Forces would not have been able to meet our goals," said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen. He announced the setting up of the fund at the DSTA-DSO scholarship award ceremony, where 93 scholarship recipients received their awards on Friday.

Stressing that the contributions of defence scientists and engineers in laboratories and offices are "no less important" than those of combat troops on the ground, Dr Ng said: "This fund is to recognise and reward innovations that address national-level challenges."

Dr Ng hopes the fund will help motivate defence scientists and engineers to push the frontiers of science and technology and seek new breakthroughs for Singapore.