The Centre has appointed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the new Chief of Naval Staff, succeeding Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who is set to retire on May 31.
Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan took charge as the 34th Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command on July 31 last year.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987, he is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla; the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Shrivenham, United Kingdom; the College of Naval Warfare, Karanja; and the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
A recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), Vice Admiral Swaminathan has held several key operational, staff and training appointments during his naval career.
He has commanded missile vessels INS Vidyut and INS Vinash, missile corvette INS Kulish, guided missile destroyer INS Mysore, and aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, according to the Ministry of Defence.
After being promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral, he served as Chief Staff Officer (Training) at the Headquarters of the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, where he played a major role in overseeing training activities across the Indian Navy.
The Ministry stated that he was also instrumental in establishing the Indian Naval Safety Team, responsible for ensuring operational safety across all branches of the Navy. He later headed the Navy’s Work Up Organisation as Flag Officer Sea Training before being appointed Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet.
Following his tenure commanding the Western Fleet, he was appointed Flag Officer Offshore Defence Advisory Group and Advisor, Offshore Security and Defence to the Government of India.
On elevation to the rank of Vice Admiral, he served as Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command, Controller of Personnel Services, and Chief of Personnel at Naval Headquarters. Before his current assignment, he was serving as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.
Vice Admiral Swaminathan holds a BSc degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, an MSc in Telecommunications from Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London, an MPhil in Strategic Studies from Mumbai University, and a PhD in International Studies from Mumbai University.