VAdm. Karambir Singh to be Next Navy Chief

Vice Admiral Karambir Singh is the first helicopter pilot of Indian Navy to be appointed as Chief of Naval Staff

Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, presently Flag Officer Commander-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) Eastern Naval Command, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Naval Staff with effect from afternoon of 31 May 2019, by the government. He will replace Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba, who retires on the same day.

Vice Admiral Karambir Singh FOC in C East would be the first helicopter pilot of Indian Navy to become Chief of Naval Staff. Commissioned into the Indian Navy in the Executive Branch July 1980, Singh earned his wings as a helicopter pilot in 1982. He has flown Chetak, Kamov 25 and Kamov 28 Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopters.




Born on November 03, 1959, Vice Admiral Karambir Singh has had a long and distinguished service spanning nearly 19 years with the Indian Navy. He has served in a variety of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments.

His sea command includes Guided Missile Destroyers INS Rana and INS Delhi. He also served as fleet operations officer of the Western Fleet and was Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat area. Before taking over as FOC-in-C Eastern Naval Command in October 2017, he was Director General Project Seabird, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.

Vice Admiral Karambir Singh is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. Vice Admiral Karambir Singh has been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).