New Delhi:
Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has been appointed as the next Chief of Naval Staff. He is currently serving as the Western Naval Commander in Mumbai and will take charge on May 31. His tenure will run until December 31, 2028.
He will succeed Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, who assumed command as the 26th Chief of the Naval Staff on April 30, 2024. Before that, Admiral Tripathi served as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff and is an alumnus of Sainik School Rewa and the National Defence Academy.
Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan assumed charge as Chief of Personnel on October 6, 2023 and later took over as Western Naval Commander in Mumbai.
Over the years, he has held several senior positions, including Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command and Controller Personnel Services at Naval Headquarters.
Military Career
Vice Admiral Swaminathan was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987 and is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare.
During his career, he has held several operational, staff and training roles. He has commanded missile vessels INS Vidyut and INS Vinash, the missile corvette INS Kulish, the guided missile destroyer INS Mysore, and the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
After his promotion to Flag rank, he served as Chief Staff Officer (Training) at Headquarters Southern Naval Command in Kochi, where he played a key role in overseeing naval training.
He was also instrumental in raising the Indian Navy Safety Team, which looks after operational safety across the Navy.
He later served as Flag Officer Sea Training, where he headed the Navy’s work-up organisation, and went on to become Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet.
He also served as Flag Officer Offshore Defence Advisory Group and Advisor Offshore Security and Defence to the Government of India.
Education And Training
Vice Admiral Swaminathan is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla in Pune.
He has also trained at the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Shrivenham, United Kingdom; the College of Naval Warfare in Karanja, Maharashtra; and the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, US.
He 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.
Awards And Honours
Vice Admiral Swaminathan has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal for his service.
