Singapore's national women's badminton team have qualified for this year's Uber Cup, just the second time in the Republic's history to have made the mark for the prestigious world team championships for women.

The team will compete at the event in New Delhi, India from May 18-25. The last time Singapore made the competition was in 2006. Badminton powerhouses China, Japan and Thailand, will also compete at the event.

The qualification process for the biennal event was changed this year and is now based on the total ranking points of a team's three highest-ranked singles player and two pairs of doubles players. Singapore was ranked 11th out of the 16 sides that qualified.

Teams had to play through continental preliminary rounds previously.

"It is fantastic news that our women's team has qualified to play in the next Uber Cup," said Singapore Badminton Association president Lee Yi Shyan. "It is a (form of) recognition to our women's team's improving skills and abilities."

Singapore fielded a side that made up of Li Li, Xing Aiying, Jiang Yanmei, Li Yujia, Liu Fan and Shinta Mulia Sari when it last competed at the Uber Cup in 2006. All except Shinta have since retired. Singapore were eliminated in the quater-finals of the 2006 event when they lost to China.