Government appoints Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as next Chief of Naval Staff

The government on India appointed Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the next Chief of Naval Staff on Saturday. Current and the 23rd Chief of the Naval Staff  Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba will be vacating the office on May 31, 2019.

At present, Vice Admiral Karambir Singh PVSM, AVSM, hold the position of Flag Officer Commanding in Chief (FOC-in-C), Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy after assuming office on 31 October 2017 post-retirement of Harish Bisht. He assumed charge as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff on 31 May 16.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Singh was commissioned into the Indian Navy in July 1980.

The Admiral earned his wings as a helicopter pilot in 1982 and has flown extensively on the Chetak and Kamov helicopters. In his career of over nearly 36 years, the Admiral has commanded an Indian Coast Guard Ship, a Naval Missile Corvette as well as Guided Missile Destroyers. 

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He has also served as the Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet.  Ashore, the Admiral 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 a member of the Aircrew Instrument Rating and Categorisation Team (AIRCATS).

On promotion to flag rank, the Admiral was appointed as Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command. His other important flag appointments include Chief of Staff of the Tri Services Unified Command at Andaman & Nicobar Islands and as the Flag Officer Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area (FOMAG).

In the rank of Vice Admiral, he has been the Director-General Project Seabird, in-charge of infrastructure development of the Navy’s expansive and modern base at Karwar, followed by a tenure as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff.

The Admiral has been commended by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief and is a recipient of the prestigious Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) awarded by the Hon’ble President of India.

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(With inputs from Indian Navy website - www.indiannavy.nic.in)