Press Trust of India,
After joint exercises with its US counterpart in November, the Indian Air Force is now looking forward to similar ones with Britain and Israel.
“The Royal Air Force and Israel have shown interest in holding exercises with us. There is a good chance that such exercises will happen,” Air Commodore A Saikia, Commanding Officer of Air Force Station Kalaikunda said on the sidelines of the ongoing Singapore-India Defence Exercise (SINDEX) '06.
The result of a defence exercise cooperation agreement signed between India and Singapore on October 13, 2003, SINDEX began from January 6 and will continue till January 20.
A contingent of 120 officers and pilots of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), led by Lt Col Neo Hong Keat, are engaged with a similar contingent of IAF personnel. Eight RSAF F-16 aircraft and a squadron of IAF MiG-27 of the IAF are involved in the exercise.
In reply to a question, Saikia said both the US and the RSAF participants were impressed with the IAF's efficient logistics and inventory management efficiency.
Asked to compare the two air forces of US and Singapore, Saikia said while both were 'good' and 'professional', but the participation with the USAF was on a bigger scale.
To another question, he said the exercises were being held at Kalaikunda because of 'very low' intrusion from civilian air space. “Besides, the infrastructure that we have built up here is very good. So there is no problem in holding such exercises here.”
