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List Of Indian Navy Admirals [UPDATED]

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...

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.

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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

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