Kochi: Continuing a time-honoured tradition, the Indian Army's School of Artillery and INS Dronacharya, the Indian Navy's gunnery and missile weapons training establishment, signed an affiliation charter here on Saturday to promote greater synergy in their operations.

The School of Artillery is located at Deolali in Maharashtra while INS Dronacharya is based at Fort Kochi here.

Senior army and navy officers signed the charter, which lays down the vision and blueprint of the affiliation. Mementos, flags and insignia were also exchanged between Lieutenant General B.S. Pawar, Commandant of the School of Artillery, and Captain Sanjiv Issar, Commanding Officer of INS Dronacharya.

Vice Admiral Sunil K. Damle, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command, and Lieutenant General I.J. Koshy, the Director General of the Regiment of Artillery, were among those present on the occasion.

Previous instances of affiliations between army and the navy include those of INS Viraat with Garhwal Rifles, the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry with INS Ganga, the Maratha Light Infantry with INS Mumbai and more recently, the Grenadiers with INS Beas.

The close interaction serves to maximize the combat potential of the Indian armed forces at the time of reckoning. It also fosters camaraderie and a deep understanding of each others' customs and traditions. It would also help sharing of new operational concepts, training methodology, infrastructure and faculty, an officer here explained.

INS Dronacharya provides broadbased and integrated training to gunnery officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. It achieves this through hands-on practical exposure on live equipment, simulators and emulators.

The School of Artillery is a prestigious institution with a great legacy, having been established in the pre-Independence era. It serves as the seat of learning for all aspects of artillery warfare. IANS