127 Light Air Defence Regiment (Composite) is part of the Corps of Army Air Defence of the Indian Army. It consists of 581, 582 and 583 Light Air Defence batteries.
Formation and history
127 Light Air Defence Regiment (Composite) was raised on 31 March 1951 as 127 Light Anti-aircraft Regiment (Territorial Army) at Satara. It was raised as a single class regiment with Maratha troops. At formation, the regiment was equipped with Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns.[1][2]
The regiment was regularised as a regular air defence regiment of the Indian Artillery in 1973 at Hyderabad and was renamed as 127 Light Air Defence Regiment. The unit got its present designation in 1989.[1]
Operations
The regiment has taken part in the following operations[1]-
Operation Vijay: The first operational deployment of the unit was during the liberation of Goa from the Portuguese in 1961.
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: The unit took part in Operation Cactus Lily in the western sector. It successfully repelled many air raids and shot down a B-57 bomber.
Operation Meghdoot: The regiment took part in the operations in Siachen Glacier between 1984 and 1986. It became the first unit to deploy air defence guns at the highest battlefield in the world.