KALAIKUNDA (WB): Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen today hailed India's indigenously-built multi-role light combat aircraft Tejas as "very very capable".As the first civilian foreigner to fly on Tejas, Ng took a half-an-hour flight in the two-seater plane piloted by Air Vice Marshal A P Singh at the Kalaikunda airbase here. "It is a very very capable plane," Ng told reporters here after flying on Tejas.Hailing Tejas as "very impressive", Ng said, "This is the reason why our air force trains with your air force. "Praising Air Vice Marshal Singh as a "superbly confident and supremely professional" pilot, Ng said he felt as if he was riding a car and not flying in a fighter aircraft. "Bilateral defence ties between our two countries are strong and it is getting stronger," Ng said.Asked whether they would discuss maritime security, Ng answered in the affirmative.This would be Ng's second dialogue with Sitharaman. "The first joint military training between the Indian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) was held at the Gwalior air force station in 2004.Such an exercise was first held at Kalaikunda in 2007 and since then regular joint training has been held at the air force station here.

Source: Economic Times November 28, 2017 10:07 UTC