While small states forms the majority of the global community of nations, studies on their foreign policy are still largely scarce and limited. Bulk of the research has concentrated on various constraints and vulnerabilities, in effect, accepting the paradigm of small states’ subordinate place in the international system. Yet, the Singapore case makes manifest that this is by no means definitive. As a small state, despite suffering from many handicaps, Singapore has performed remarkably well in her foreign relations, especially during the Cold War era.

At the same time, the post-Cold War era has thrown up many new challenges and this study is an attempt to examine the various issues that have confronted the small state of Singapore, especially in the new Asia-Pacific environment. While vulnerability remains the overpowering feature of most small states, including Singapore’s, yet it is by no means conclusive that small states like Singapore are doomed to a subordinate position in world politics, especially in the light of the intensification of tensions on the regional level. In view of this, this study highlights the manner Singapore has attempted to manage its foreign policy in the new, uncharted, post-Cold War paradigm of international relations and the extent to which there is a need to revisit the aspect of small states’ vulnerability.