Former special adviser to Sweden's Ministry of Defence Peter Bager was conferred an award by Singapore yesterday for his contributions in strengthening technology cooperation between the two countries.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen presented him with the Singapore Defence Fellowship at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Defence. Mindef said technology cooperation between both defence organisations is a key pillar of bilateral relations.

The Singapore Defence Fellowship was established this year, following a review of the Singapore Defence Technology Distinguished Fellowship (SDTDF). The SDTDF was started in 1996 to recognise individuals who have contributed significantly to bilateral defence technology cooperation. With the review, the award has now expanded to include defence policy and administrative officials, Mindef said.

Mindef said Rear-Admiral (Ret) Bager facilitated technical support and expertise-sharing for the Singapore navy's submarines while serving as the Swedish special adviser from February 2013 to June 2016.

Rear-Adm (Ret) Bager said: "The success of our bilateral cooperation built over the years is a strong indication of the trust and respect that both countries have fostered."

Mindef said the two countries' navies "have worked closely since Singapore's acquisition of Swedish-designed mine countermeasure vessels and submarines in the 1990s".