SINGAPORE, March 19 — Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has warned that a prolonged blockage of the Strait of Hormuz will have a far-reaching impact on the global economy and may tip it into a tailspin or a recession.

“A lot of focus has been on oil and gas, but it goes beyond that because the supply of fertiliser, for example, may be impacted, and then it will have downstream impact on food supply.

“Even if the military operations were to stop, but the Strait of Hormuz continues to be blocked for a longer stretch, I think there will be severe consequences for the entire global economy,” he said in a news conference yesterday held on the sidelines of this three-day official visit to Japan from March 17 to 19.

A video of his press conference was made available on the Channel News Asia YouTube page today.

Wong emphasised that the Singapore government is closely monitoring the conflict in West Asia and is ready to roll out additional measures for Singaporeans if needed.

He said as for now, households and businesses will feel the effects of the measures already announced under Budget 2026, including utility rebates and various business assistance.

“We are looking at all the different possibilities and contingencies that can happen, but if the need arises, then we stand ready to roll out and implement additional measures beyond what had been announced in the Budget 2026.

“We will have the resources to do so decisively and quickly,” he added. — Bernama