Singapore Air Force's fighter planes flying to West Bengal in India for training landed at Port Blair after one of them developed a technical snag. As many as six F-16 fighter aircraft and one C-130 transport aircraft of the Singapore Air Force (RSAF) were diverted after the glitch was reported.
The RSAF aircraft eventually landed at Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair, in India's Andaman Islands on Thursday, Singapore's Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said. "The RSAF aircraft were en route to Kalaikunda Air Force Station in West Bengal, India, to participate in the RSAF-Indian Air Force Joint Military Training," Mindef said, according to TODAY online.
Post-flight inspections at Port Blair found that all seven RSAF aircraft were in good condition to continue their journey to Kalaikunda Air Force Station, Mindef added. The planes later landed at Kalaikunda Air Force Station in Port Blair on the same day.
Singapore military routinely undertakes training sessions on foreign locations due to the tiny island's territorial limitations. The favourite training locations for the Singapore armed forces are Australia, Taiwan and New Zealand.
In 2016, Singapore and Hong Kong locked horns after the armed forces' Terrex battle tanks were held in Hong Kong while in transit. The military vehicles shipped from Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan to Singapore in 12 containers were detained at Hong Kong's Kwai Chung Container Terminal by the Hong Kong Customs authorities. The incident led to a heated diplomatic war between Hong Kong and Singapore. The nine Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles of the Singapore Armed Forces were later released.
India partnership
India is one of Singapore's major security partners in Southeast Asia. India and Singapore signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement in 2003. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in recent years, New Delhi boosted its defence cooperation with Singapore, given the concern over growing military posturing of regional rival China.
