"It Was Really Smooth": Singapore Defence Minister Flies India's Tejas Fighter

India's indigenous light combat aircraft, the Tejas, which is being inducted into the Air Force - has a new brand ambassador. Ng Eng Hen, the defence minister of the island nation of Singapore, flew in the rear cockpit of the plane from the Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal.

"I am not a pilot," said Dr Ng, asked about whether Singapore plans to buy the Tejas. "But I can say it felt like I was riding in a car; it was really smooth."

This is a shot in the arm for the Tejas progamme which has been criticised repeatedly for delays in its development.

The Singaporean Air Force is in India with six F-16 jets for annual joint exercises with India. For a month now, about 100 Singapore air force personnel have been stationed at Kalaikunda with six F16s.

Singapore has very little airspace available in its own island nation and has been leasing out the Kalaikunda base for its drills since 2004.

"Singapore is a small country but with a big heart," said Air Marshal Anil Khosla, a senior officer of the Eastern Air Command. "When we do exercises for a whole month together, we learn best practices from each other."

Do Indian Air Force pilots get a chance to fly the F16s? "Not really," said the Air Marshal. Dr Ng piped up and said, "We don't fly the Sukhois either." Letting out a chuckle, the Defence Minister signed off saying, "It is like chef using different equipment. You learn to cook better."