An affiliation ceremony between Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI) Regiment and Indian Naval Ship, Kochi and between JAK LI Regimental Centre and 51 Squadron Air Force was carried out on Monday in a glittering function at the Srinagar’s Bana Singh Parade Ground at the JAK LI Regimental Centre.
The ceremony was attended by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Western Naval Command, Lt Gen Satish Dua, CISC and Colonel of the JAK LI Regiment, Lt Gen AK Bhatt, General officer Commanding 15 Corps, Rear Admiral MA Hampiholi, Flag officer Commanding Western Fleet and Air Vice Marshal Sanjay Nimesh, Air officer Commanding J&K and numerous other tri services military dignitaries.
During Operation MEGH RAHAT in August 2014, JAK LI Regimental Centre and 51 Squadron Air Force were jointly deployed in Kashmir for flood relief operations and together evacuated thousands of people to safety and provided them relief and assistance.
The success of operation MEGH RAHAT was solely attributable to focused, well planned and joint effort by both the services. To foster greater understanding of each other’s combat potential and to inculcate a greater synergy and bon homie amongst all ranks, 51 Squadron Air Force has now been affiliated with the JAK LI Regimental Training Centre.
Indian Naval Ship Kochi is the second ship of the indigenously designed and constructed Kolkata class guided missile destroyers built by the Mazagon Dock Ltd at Mumbai. She is named after vibrant port city of Kochi and is packed with state of the art weapons and sensors.
JAK LI Regt was earlier affiliated to INS Ganga which got decommissioned with honour and fanfare in March 2018 and 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 JAK LI (which Raised Itself) and INS Kochi are indigenous, indeed ‘Kashmir se Kanyakumari Tak’ we sail together and defend the Nation.