International Investment Agreements (IIAs)
International Investment Agreements (IIAs) promote cross-border investments by offering legal protections, dispute resolution, and integration into Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).
Last updated 3 November 2025
What is an IIA?
An IIA (also commonly called "bilateral investment treaty ("BIT") when used in a bilateral context, or "investment guarantee agreement ("IGA")) promotes greater investment flows between two signatory countries and sets out standards of protection for investments made in one country by investors from the other country.
About IIAs
An IIA contains obligations on the host State, which may include:
Treating foreign investors as favourably as domestic investors or foreign investors from other countries;
Treating foreign investors fairly and equitably, as well as giving them protection and security;
Establishing clear limits on the expropriation of investments and compensating foreign investors should expropriation occur;
Allowing foreign investors to freely transfer their capital in and out of the host State; and
Allowing foreign investors to submit investment disputes to international arbitration.
IIAs are not the same as Investment Chapters in FTAs, which generally go beyond the scope of IIAs and include other elements such as investment liberalisation and investment facilitation.
Our IGAs/BITS
The table below provides details on Singapore's IIAs which are already in force.
IGAs/BITs
No. | Countries | Date of Entry into Force | IIA Text | Remarks |
1 | ASEAN | 2 Aug 1988 | The ASEAN IGA was terminated when ACIA [PDF, 220 KB] entered into force on 29 Mar 2012. The ASEAN Member States are parties to the following FTAs with Investment Chapters (which also contain provisions on investment promotion): | |
2 | Bahrain | 8 Dec 2004 | ||
3 | Bangladesh | 19 Nov 2004 | ||
4 | Belarus | 13 Jan 2001 | ||
5 | Belgium and Luxembourg | 27 Nov 1980 | ||
6 | Bulgaria | 10 Feb 2006 | ||
7 | Cambodia | 24 Feb 2000 | Cambodia is also a Party to the following FTAs with Investment Chapters: | |
8 | Canada | 30 Jul 1971 | Canada is also a Party to the following FTA with an Investment Chapter: | |
9 | China | 7 Feb 1986 | The China-Singapore BIT was terminated and replaced by the CSFTA [PDF, 230 KB] Investment Chapter when the CSFTA upgrade took effect on 16 October 2019. China is also a Party to the following FTA with an Investment Chapter: | |
10 | Cote d’Ivoire | 26 Aug 2025 | ||
11 | Czech Republic | 7 Oct 1995 | ||
12 | DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) | 18 Mar 2009 | ||
13 | Egypt | 20 Mar 2002 | ||
14 | France | 18 Oct 1976 | ||
15 | Germany | 1 Oct 1975 | ||
16 | Hungary | 1 Jan 1999 | ||
17 | Indonesia | 9 Mar 2021 | Indonesia is also a Party to the following FTAs with Investment Chapters: The Singapore-Indonesia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) was signed on 11 October 2018, and entered into force on 9 March 2021. Find out more here [PDF, 478 KB]. | |
18 | Iran | 28 Feb 2018 | ||
19 | Jordan | 22 Aug 2005 | ||
20 | Kazakhstan | 29 Mar 2024 | ||
21 | Kenya | 20 Aug 2023 | ||
22 | Kuwait | 15 Apr 2013 | ||
23 | Laos | 26 Mar 1998 | Laos is also a Party to the following FTAs with Investment Chapters: | |
24 | Latvia | 18 Mar 1999 | ||
25 | Libya | 22 Dec 2011 | ||
26 | Mauritius | 19 Apr 2000 | ||
27 | Mexico | 3 Apr 2011 | Mexico is also a Party to the following FTA with an Investment Chapter: | |
28 | Mongolia | 7 Jan 1996 | ||
29 | Myanmar | 9 Oct 2020 | Myanmar is also a Party to the following FTAs with Investment Chapters: | |
30 | Netherlands | 7 Sep 1973 | ||
31 | Nigeria | 22 Aug 2025 | ||
32 | Oman | 12 Oct 2008 | ||
33 | Pakistan | 4 May 1995 | ||
34 | Poland | 29 Dec 1993 | ||
35 | Qatar | 25 Apr 2018 | ||
36 | Russia | 16 Jun 2012 | ||
37 | Rwanda | 16 Oct 2020 | ||
38 | Saudi Arabia | 5 Oct 2007 | ||
39 | Slovak Republic | 6 Jun 2007 | ||
40 | Slovenia | 8 Sep 2000 | ||
41 | Switzerland | 3 May 1978 | Switzerland is also a Party to the following FTA with an Investment Chapter: | |
42 | Ukraine | 14 Jul 2007 | ||
43 | United Kingdom | 22 Jul 1975 | ||
44 | United States | 25 Mar 1966 | The United States is also a Party to the following FTA with an Investment Chapter: | |
45 | Uzbekistan | 23 Nov 2003 | ||
46 | United Arab Emirates | 8 Apr 2012 | ||
47 | Vietnam | 25 Dec 1992 | Vietnam is also a Party to the following FTAs with Investment Chapters: |
Investment Chapters in our FTAs
The table below lists Singapore's FTA Investment Chapters. You may also access the other chapters of these FTAs via Enterprise Singapore's FTA webpage.
FTAs
No. | FTAs | Date of Entry into Force | Investment Chapter | Remarks |
1 | Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) | 28 Jul 2003 | The amendments from the 3rd Review entered into force on 1 December 2017. | |
2 | ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) | 29 Mar 2012 | ||
3 | ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) | 1 Jan 2010 | ||
4 | ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) | 15 Feb 2010 | ||
5 | China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (CSFTA) | 1 Jan 2009 | The CSFTA Upgrade Protocol entered into force on 16 Oct 2019. | |
6 | Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) | 30 Dec 2018 | ||
7 | ASEAN-India Free Trade Area (AIFTA) | 1 Jul 2015 | ||
8 | ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Area (AKFTA) | 2 Jun 2009 | ||
9 | Singapore-Costa Rica FTA (SCRFTA) | 1 Jul 2013 | ||
10 | India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) | 1 Aug 2005 | The 1st Review was concluded on 1 November 2007. | |
11 | Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement (JSEPA) | 30 Nov 2002 | The 2nd Review was concluded on 19 March 2007. | |
12 | Korea-Singapore FTA (KSFTA) | 2 Mar 2006 | ||
13 | New Zealand-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Partnership (ANZSCEP) | 1 Jan 2001 | The ANZSCEP Upgrade entered into force on 1 Jan 2020. | |
14 | Panama-Singapore FTA (PSFTA) | 24 Jul 2006 | ||
15 | Peru-Singapore FTA (PeSFTA) | 1 Aug 2009 | ||
16 | EFTA-Singapore FTA (ESFTA) | 1Jan 2003 | Countries from EFTA are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. | |
17 | Sri Lanka-Singapore FTA (SLSFTA) | 1 May 2018 | ||
18 | Turkey-Singapore FTA (TRSFTA) | 1 Oct 2017 | ||
19 | United States-Singapore FTA (USSFTA) | 1 Jan 2004 | ||
20 | ASEAN-Hong Kong Investment Agreement (AHKIA) | 17 Jun 2019 | AHKIA entered into force for Singapore, Hong Kong, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam on 17 June 2019; for Malaysia on 13 October 2019; Philippines on 12 May 2020; Indonesia on 4 July 2020; and Brunei on 20 Oct 2020. | |
21 | ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP) | 1 Dec 2008 | The amendments from the AJCEP First Protocol entered into force for Japan, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam on 1 Aug 2020 and Brunei on 1 Oct 2020. |