Netherlands and Singapore strengthen semiconductor partnership
The Netherlands and Singapore are deepening their semiconductor ties to make supply chains more resilient. What does the agreement involve?
Published on September 25, 2026
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The Netherlands and Singapore have announced a strategic partnership to strengthen their positions in the global semiconductor industry. The agreement was signed this week at the SSIA Summit 2026 in Resorts World Sentosa by Ang Wee Seng, Executive Director of the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA), and Daan de Cloe, Managing Director of Foreign Investment & International Trade at the Brabant Development Agency (BOM). SSIA chairman Brian Tan and Chris Devillers, Deputy Head of Mission at the Dutch embassy in Singapore, witnessed the signing.
The agreement builds on a deal reached at the Semicon Southeast Asia Conference in May 2025. It establishes a bilateral working group, joint business projects, and a shared approach to innovation and supply chain cooperation. Both countries aim to draw on their complementary strengths: Dutch chip technology and Singapore’s manufacturing and logistics capabilities.
Geopolitical pressures drive cooperation
The partnership comes amid growing pressure to diversify global semiconductor supply chains. Geopolitical tensions and dependence on a small number of countries have made resilience a priority. The Netherlands brings advanced equipment and technology through companies such as ASML, ASM and NXP, while Singapore has strengths in precision manufacturing, engineering and supply chain management. According to Ang Wee Seng, those complementary capabilities provide a foundation for a lasting partnership.
A memorandum and a bilateral working group
At the SSIA Summit 2026, SSIA and BOM signed a memorandum of understanding focused on business development, innovation and supply chain optimisation. As the regional development agency for North Brabant, BOM will help connect Dutch manufacturers with suppliers in Singapore.
Projects and investments take shape
The partnership is already producing joint projects. Dutch company BESI is working with Singapore’s Institute of Microelectronics (IME) on advanced chip packaging technologies. Sioux Technologies and MeetingSelect have also signed contracts with Singaporean partners, including agreements involving digital tools.
The semiconductor industry is expected to generate around €1 trillion in global revenue by 2030, with that figure potentially doubling by 2040. In 2020, the sector already accounted for 15% of global goods trade. For the Netherlands, home to one of the world’s most advanced semiconductor ecosystems, cooperation with Singapore could support economic growth and technological sovereignty. Singapore’s role as a global manufacturing and logistics hub gives both countries an opportunity to strengthen their positions in the value chain.
The partnership also aligns with the European Semicon Coalition, launched in March 2025 to promote innovation and bring technology to market faster.