Assam Rifles battalion, Indian Coast Guard ship sign affiliation charter

An affiliation charter was on Wednesday signed between 3rd (Naga Hills) Battalion of the Assam Rifles and the Indian Coast Guard Ship 'Shaurya' with an aim to enhance inter-armed forces cooperation and utilise each other's assets for training and sports, officials said.

The charter was signed by the director generals of the two sides at an impressive ceremony held at Laitkor in Shillong.

The Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force of India with a rich history of valour, courage and tradition. They have 46 battalions manning the Indo-Myanmar border and countering the insurgency in the northeastern states.

The Indian Coast Guard, with 142 ships and 62 aircraft, is one of the youngest armed force under the Ministry of Defence.

Third (Naga Hills) Battalion Assam Rifles is the oldest battalion of the force raised in 1835 as 'The Cachar Levy' comprising 750 personnel of all ranks for guarding the Eastern Frontier of Assam from Brahmaputra river to the Cachar Hills.

Presently, the battalion is developed at Kohima in Nagaland where it had earlier bravely fought Japanese in World War-II and stopped their advance into India.

ICG Ship 'Shaurya', indigenously built at Goa Shipyard Limited, based in Chennai is a modern state-of-the-art 105 metre-long Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) commissioned on August 12, 2017, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

'Shaurya' which means courage is a projection of ICG's commitment 'To Serve & Protect' the maritime interest of the nation. The ship is extensively developed for EEZ surveillance and other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard charter to safeguard the maritime interest of India.

"The objective of the affiliation is to promote bilateral cooperation between the Assam Rifles and the ICG in the field of exchange of information/personnel, build-up camaraderie for training, sports/adventure and sustainable development," the statement said.