Moshe Ya'alon. Photo: Jini/Haaretz.

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon declared during a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Singapore Airshow that, “Based on the exhibits of our defense industry here, Israel is a superpower,” Israeli daily Ma’ariv reported on Tuesday.

Ya’alon explained that, “The fact that Israel is represented [in Singapore], so far from home, in such an impressive way by its defense-related industries…” is proof that the Jewish state is a military force to be reckoned with, Ma’ariv said.

The Singapore Airshow is Asia’s largest and is one of the most important aerospace and defense exhibitions in the world. The show features the latest state-of-the-art systems and equipment, together with related technologies that are displayed by top aerospace companies.

Ya’alon qualified that Israel is a reluctant regional powerhouse, saying that, “…shortages and threats are the most effective catalysts for developing a wide range of solutions across a range of fields.”

The Defense Minister was generous with his praise of Israelis who have helped the country maintain its strong defense posture. “Everything we see here [at the Israeli pavilion] is the product of many good people across many industries…From those on the assembly line, to those sitting at a drawing board, to those with the farsighted thinking required to deal with all future challenges,” he said.

Ya’alon also noted that Israel’s prowess in areas related to national defense is also helping fuel the country’s general economic growth: “Defense technology exports are undoubtedly contributing significantly to Israel’s economy.”