Singapore Defence Minister flies in LCA at Kalaikunda

Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Tuesday flew a sortie in the trainer version of the Light Combat Aircraft at the Indian Air Force base at Kalaikunda in West Bengal, and called it a "very good plane".

"Privileged to be flown on the Tejas, India's own designed and manufactured fighter aircraft. A very good plane," the Singapore minister said in a tweet.

Hen, on a day's visit to Kalaikunda, was received at the air base by Eastern Air Command chief, Air Marshal Anil Khosla.

The Project Director for Flight Testing at the Aeronautical Development Agency, Air Vice Marshal A.P. Singh was the pilot who flew the visiting dignitary in the LCA, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.A

Hen also met and interacted with the Detachment Commander and other officers and men of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), who are presently at Kalaikunda undergoing their routine annual training.

The Joint Military Training is scheduled to start in a few days at Kalaikunda wherein the RSAF pilots would fly their F-16s and their IAF counterparts, the Su-30.

Speaking to the media, Hen praised the professionalism of the IAF and expressed satisfaction with the military cooperation between the two countries.

Khosla said Joint Military Training provided a unique platform for mutual learning and exchange of ideas between two professional Air Forces.

Hen will arrive in New Delhi on Wednesday to hold second Singapore-India Defence Ministers' Dialogue with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman.

--IANS

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