- Krishna Swaminathan appointed next Navy Chief
- He will succeed Dinesh K. Tripathi on May 31
- Tenure to continue till December 31, 2028
- Veteran naval officer has commanded INS Vikramaditya and Western Fleet
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 9th May: The Government of India has appointed Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of Naval Staff. He is currently serving as the Western Naval Commander in Mumbai and will assume office on May 31, 2026.
Vice Admiral Swaminathan will succeed Dinesh K. Tripathi, who took over as the 26th Chief of the Naval Staff in April 2024.
His tenure as Navy Chief will continue until December 31, 2028.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987, Vice Admiral Swaminathan is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare and has served in multiple operational, training and strategic appointments during his naval career.
Before becoming Western Naval Commander, he served as Chief of Personnel and earlier held senior positions including Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command and Controller Personnel Services at Naval Headquarters.
Over the years, he has commanded several frontline naval platforms, including missile vessels INS Vidyut and INS Vinash, missile corvette INS Kulish, guided missile destroyer INS Mysore and aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
After promotion to Flag rank, he served as Chief Staff Officer (Training) at the Southern Naval Command headquarters in Kochi and later headed the Navy’s work-up organisation as Flag Officer Sea Training.
He also played a key role in establishing the Indian Navy Safety Team, which oversees operational safety across naval operations.
Vice Admiral Swaminathan has additionally served as Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet and Flag Officer Offshore Defence Advisory Group.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he has undergone advanced military education in India, the United Kingdom and the United States.
He holds degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, King’s College London and University of Mumbai.
For his distinguished service, he has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal.
