Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan Assumes Charge as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff

Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, AVSM, VSM, has taken charge as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff on May 1, 2024. Upon assuming this esteemed position, he paid tribute to the brave soldiers who sacrificed for the nation by laying a floral wreath at the National War Memorial.

Vice Admiral Swaminathan was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987, and specialises in Communication and Electronic Warfare. He is an alumnus of prestigious institutions such as the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla; the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham, United Kingdom; the College of Naval Warfare, Karanja; and the United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

With accolades like the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal, Vice Admiral Swaminathan has held numerous significant operational, staff, and training appointments during his illustrious naval career. These include commanding missile vessels INS Vidyut and INS Vinash, the missile corvette INS Kulish, the guided missile destroyer INS Mysore, and the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

Promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral, he served as the Chief Staff Officer (Training) at Headquarters, Southern Naval Command, Kochi, and played a pivotal role in naval training. He was instrumental in establishing the Indian Naval Safety Team, which oversees operational safety across all Navy units. Subsequently, he led the Navy’s Work-Up Organization as the Flag Officer of Sea Training before assuming command of the Western Fleet. Following his tenure commanding the fleet, he served as Flag Officer Offshore Defence Advisory Group and Advisor for Offshore Security and Defence to the Government of India.

As Vice Admiral, he held the positions of Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command and Controller of Personnel Services at NHQ before assuming his current role as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.

Vice Admiral Swaminathan’s academic qualifications are impressive, including a BSc degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; MSc in Telecommunications from Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi; MA in Defence Studies from King’s College, London; MPhil in Strategic Studies from Mumbai University; and PhD in International Studies from Mumbai University.