The Chief of the Naval Staff is the head of the military staff of the Indian Navy. The Chief of the Naval Staff is the highest ranking naval officer on active service of the Indian Armed Forces unless the Chief of Defence is a navy officer. The Chief of Naval Staff is the primary adviser to the Government of India on naval affairs.
The Chief is responsible for governing and directing the naval staff, the supreme decision making body consisting of the highest ranking naval officers of the Indian Navy, who is the navy’s chief executive and the chief naval advisor to the Chief of Defence Staff. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication, and is always held by a full Admiral since 1966. The Chief of the Naval Staff is assisted by the Vice Chief of the navy staff.
The current CNS is Admiral Karambir Singh. Admiral Karambir Singh assumed command of the Indian Navy on 31 May 2019 as the 24th Chief of the Naval Staff.
Admiral Karambir Singh is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. Commissioned into the Indian Navy in July 1980, he earned his wings as a helicopter pilot in 1981 and has flown extensively on the Chetak (Alouette) and Kamov helicopters. He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai and has served as Directing Staff in both these institutions.
In his career spanning over 40 years, he has commanded Indian Coast Guard Ship Chandbibi, Missile Corvette INS Vijaydurg, as well as two Guided Missile Destroyers, INS Rana and INS Delhi. He has also served as the Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet. Ashore, he has served at Naval Headquarters as the Joint Director Naval Air Staff, and as Captain Air and Officer-in-Charge of the Naval Air Station at Mumbai.
He has also served as member of the Aircrew Instrument Rating and Categorisation Board (AIRCATS).
On promotion to flag rank, the Admiral was appointed as the Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command. His other important flag appointments include Chief of Staff of the Tri-Services Unified Command at Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area (FOMAG).
In the rank of Vice Admiral, he has been Director General Project Seabird, in-charge of infrastructure development of the Navy’s expansive and modern base at Karwar. At the Integrated Headquarters Ministry of Defence (Navy), the Admiral has been the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and, subsequently, the Vice Chief of Naval Staff. He was the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam, prior taking over helm as the Chief of the Naval Staff on 31 May 19.
ALSO READ:
The list of the Indian Navy Admirals is given in the table below:
Name | Tenure |
Rear Admiral J.T.S. Hall | 15 August 1947-14 August 1948 |
Admiral Sir Edward Parry | 15 August 1948-13 October 1951 |
Admiral Sir Mark Pizey | 14 October 1951-21 July 1955 |
Vice Admiral Sir Stephen Carlill | 22 July 1955-21 April 1958 |
Vice Admiral R.D. Katari | 22 April 1958-4 June 1962 |
Vice Admiral B.S. Soman | 05 June 1962-3 March 1966 |
Admiral A.K. Chatterjee | 04 March 1966-27 February 1970 |
Admiral S.M. Nanda | 28 February 1970-28 February 1973 |
Admiral S.N. Kohli | 01 March 1973-28 February 1976 |
Admiral J.L. Cursetji | 01 March 1976-28 February 1979 |
Admiral R.L. Pereira | 01 March 1979-28 February 1982 |
Admiral O.S. Dawson | 01 March 1982-30 November 1984 |
Admiral R.H. Tahiliani | 01 December 1984-30 November 1987 |
Admiral J.G. Nadkarni | 01 December 1987-30 November 1990 |
Admiral Ramdas | 01 December 1990-30 September 1993 |
Admiral V.S. Shekhawat | 01 October 1993-30 September 1996 |
Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat | 01 October 1996-30 December 1998 |
Admiral Sushil Kumar | 31 December 1998 – 29 December 2001 |
Admiral Madhvendra Singh | 29 December 2001 – 31 July 2004 |
Admiral Arun Prakash | 01 August 2004 – 30 October 2006 |
Admiral Sureesh Mehta | 30 October 2006 – 31 August 2009 |
Admiral Nirmal Verma | 31 August 2009- 31 August 2012 |
Admiral Devender Kumar Joshi | 31 August 2012- 26 February 2014 |
Vice Admiral RK Dhowan | 26 February 2014- 31 May 2016 |
Admiral Sunil Lanba | 31 May 2016- 31 May 2019 |
Admiral Karambir Singh | 31 May 2019- Incumbent |