Army’s oldest regiment holds affiliation ceremony with naval frigate

KV Prasad

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 22

The Indian Army’s Poona Horse and the latest Indian Navy frigate, the INS Sahyadri, held an affiliation at an event that continued a three-decade practice promoting cross-service cooperation at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

Lt Gen RV Kanitkar, colonel of the Poona Horse Regiment — one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army— and Vice-Admiral HCS Bisht, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command, spoke about the importance of achieving the aims listed in the charter of affiliation.

Affiliation between naval ships and army regiments was instituted in 1990 to foster a spirit of cooperation and understanding between the two wings of the armed forces.

The Poona Horse is an Armoured Corps regiment that was raised on July 15, 1817, through the Treaty of Poona between British and Bajirao II, the Peshwa. The regiment has fought several legendary battles such as the Battle of Koregaum, Afghan Wars, Battle of Kooshab and Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971.

INS Sahyadri, one of the latest indigenous weapon platforms of the Eastern Naval Command, was constructed at Mazagaon Dock Ltd, Mumbai. This stealth ship is armed with an array of weaponry such as Surface-to-Surface missiles, Surface-to-Air missiles, medium range and short-range guns and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.