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Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Last updated 30 January 2026
Portrait photo of Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan.

Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, 64, studied Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS) after being awarded the President's Scholarship in 1980. He was elected President of the NUS Students' Union from 1981 to 1983 and Chairman from 1984 to 1985.

After graduation, Dr Balakrishnan specialised in Ophthalmology. He was appointed Associate Professor of NUS and Deputy Director of Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) in 1997. In 1999, he became Medical Director of SNEC. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Singapore General Hospital in 2000.

Dr Balakrishnan has been a Member of Parliament since 2001.

Currently the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Balakrishnan previously served as the Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative; Minister for the Environment and Water Resources; Minister for Community Develoment, Youth and Sports; Second Minister for Trade and Industry; Minister-in-charge of Entrepreneurship; Second Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts and Minister of State for National Development.