Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 20

For the first time, the Indian Navy has affiliated with an Army regiment outside the naval base. The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) has been affiliated with frontline warship INS Kochi.“It is for the first time that a naval unit and an Army regiment are entering into this kind of affiliation outside a naval base, and, therefore, this is the first step and is going to strengthen our jointmanship,” Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, told reporters after the affiliation ceremony at the JAKLI Centre at Rangreth on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday.While terming it a historic day, Vice Admiral Luthra said personnel from the JALKI would visit ships of the Navy unit and also sail them. “Similarly, our personnel from INS Kochi will visit their various locations and learn about the functioning of various JAKLI battalions. This will promote better understanding and synergy between the two services,” he said. The affiliation ceremony took place at the JAKLI Regimental Centre and was attended by dignitaries from the tri-services. INS Kochi is the second ship of the indigenously designed and constructed Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyers built by the Mazagon Dock Limited at Mumbai. She is named after the vibrant port city of Kochi and is packed with the state-of-the-art weapons and sensors.Srinagar-based defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said the JAKLI Regiment was earlier affiliated to INS Ganga which was decommissioned in March 2018.“To continue with this strong tradition of bonhomie and sharing of mutual understanding for culture and combat potential, the need was felt to identify a Naval Combat Unit. Both JAKLI and INS Kochi are indigenous. Indeed ‘Kashmir se Kanyakumari tak’ we sail together and defend the nation,” the spokesman said. A similar affiliation was formed between the JAKLI Regimental Centre and the 51 Squadron of the Air Force.Situation in Kerala improving: Vice Admiral Vice Admiral Girish Luthra on Monday said the situation in the flood-hit Kerala was improving. “The initial part of rescue is more or less completed. We will be reaching to the people who may be trapped and make sure they are taken to safer places. The situation has started to improve,” Vice Admiral Luthra said in Srinagar. He said the rescue operations in Kerala started about two weeks ago and the effort had gradually been stepped up as the rains had increased in Kerala. “The entire effort is being coordinated from Delhi,” he said.