Chief of the Naval Staff (India)

The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) is the office of the professional head of the Indian Navy (IN), the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces.[3] Customarily held by a four-star admiral, the CNS is the senior-most operational officer of the IN, tasked with the roles of supervising the force's overall functioning during peace and wartime, along with the execution of India's strategic maritime objectives, namely, the defence of the country's maritime sovereignty around its territorial waters, and the realization of both its domestic-cum-international security interests vis-à-vis maritime vigilance across international sea lines.[4] Also a permanent member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and the National Security Council (NSC), the CNS also bears the responsibility of advising the nation's civilian leadership i.e., the Government of India on all matters privy to the IN.[5]

Chief of the Naval Staff
Flag of the Chief of the Naval Staff
Incumbent
Admiral R.Hari Kumar
PVSM, AVSM, NM
since 30 April 2024
 Indian Navy
StatusProfessional head of naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces.
AbbreviationCNS
Member ofNational Security Council
Defence Planning Committee
Defence Acquisition Council
Reports to President of India
Prime Minister of India
Minister of Defence
Chief of Defence Staff
SeatIntegrated HQ of MoD (Navy), South Block, Central Secretariat, New Delhi
AppointerAppointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)
President of India
Term length3 years or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.
Constituting instrumentNavy Act, 1957 (Act No. 62 of 1957)
PrecursorChief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy
Formation26 January 1950 (1950-01-26)
First holderVice-Admiral Edward Parry
Deputy Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
Salary₹250,000 (US$3,100) monthly[1][2]

Statutorily, the CNS ranks 12th-overall in the Indian order of precedence, and is the IN's status-equivalent of the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of the Army Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff - all three positions of which are also occupied by four-star officers from the armed force.[6]

Office of the Chief of the Naval Staff

At Independence, the head of the Navy was designated the "Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy."[7] On 21 June 1948, the title of "Chief of the Naval Staff" was added,[8] with a re-designation to "Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy".

The "Royal" designation was dropped when India became a republic on 26 January 1950. Thus re-designating the head of Indian Navy to "Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy".

The "Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955" re-designated the head of Indian Navy to "Chief of the Naval Staff".[9] The post was held by a three-star rank Vice Admiral until 1968, when it was upgraded to the four-star rank of a full Admiral.

Appointments to the office are made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). The Chief of the Naval Staff generally reaches superannuation upon serving three years or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.

Official residence

The official residence of the CNS, Navy House, is situated at 12, Rajaji Marg. It is a Type-VIII bungalow located inside the Lutyens Bungalow Zone.[10]

Appointees
See also: Royal Indian Navy § Commanding officers

Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy (1947–1948)
No. Portrait NameTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
John Talbot Savignac Hall CIE
Hall, John Talbot SavignacRear Admiral
John Talbot Savignac Hall CIE
(1896–1964)		15 August 194720 June 1948310 days[11][12]

Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy (1948–1950)
No. Portrait NameTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
John Talbot Savignac Hall CIE
Hall, John Talbot SavignacRear Admiral
John Talbot Savignac Hall CIE
(1896–1964)		21 June 194814 August 194854 days[11][13]
2
Sir William Edward Parry KCB
Parry, William EdwardVice Admiral
Sir William Edward Parry KCB
(1893–1972)		14 August 194825 January 19501 year, 164 days.

Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy (1950–1955)
No. Portrait NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
2
Sir William Edward Parry KCB
Parry, William EdwardVice-Admiral
Sir William Edward Parry KCB [14]
(1893–1972)		26 January 195013 October 19511 year, 260 days
3
Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey KBE, CB, DSO & Bar
Pizey, Charles Thomas MarkAdmiral
Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey KBE, CB, DSO & Bar
(1899–1993)		13 October 195131 March 19553 years, 169 days

Chief of the Naval Staff (1955–present)
No. Portrait NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey KBE, CB, DSO & Bar
Pizey, CharlesAdmiral
Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey KBE, CB, DSO & Bar
(1899–1993)		1 April 195521 July 1955111 days
2
Sir Stephen Hope Carlill KBE, CB, DSO & Bar
Carlill, Stephen HopeVice-Admiral
Sir Stephen Hope Carlill KBE, CB, DSO & Bar
(1902–1996)		21 July 195521 April 19582 years, 274 days
3
Ram Dass Katari
Katari, Ram DassVice-Admiral
Ram Dass Katari
(1911–1983)		22 April 19584 June 19624 years, 43 days
4
Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman
Soman, Bhaskar SadashivVice-Admiral
Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman
(1913–1995)		4 June 19623 March 19663 years, 272 days
5
Adhar Kumar Chatterji
Chatterji, Adhar KumarAdmiral
Adhar Kumar Chatterji
(1914–2001)		3 March 196628 February 19703 years, 362 days
6
Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda PVSM, AVSM
Nanda, Sardarilal MathradasAdmiral
Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda PVSM, AVSM
(1915–2009)		28 February 197028 February 19733 years
7
Sourendra Nath Kohli PVSM
Kohli, Sourendra NathAdmiral
Sourendra Nath Kohli PVSM
(1916–1997)		1 March 197329 February 19762 years, 365 days
8
Jal Cursetji PVSM
Cursetji, JalAdmiral
Jal Cursetji PVSM
(1919–1991)		1 March 19761 March 19793 years
9
Ronald Lynsdale Pereira PVSM, AVSM
Pereira, Ronald LynsdaleAdmiral
Ronald Lynsdale Pereira PVSM, AVSM
(1923–1993)		1 March 197928 February 19822 years, 364 days
10
Oscar Stanley Dawson PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Dawson, Oscar StanleyAdmiral
Oscar Stanley Dawson PVSM, AVSM, ADC
(1923–2011)		1 March 198230 November 19842 years, 274 days
11
Radhakrishna Hariram Tahiliani PVSM, AVSM
Tahiliani, Radhakrishna HariramAdmiral
Radhakrishna Hariram Tahiliani PVSM, AVSM
(1930–2015)		1 December 198430 November 19872 years, 364 days
12
Jayant Ganpat Nadkarni PVSM, AVSM, NM, VSM, ADC
Nadkarni, Jayant GanpatAdmiral
Jayant Ganpat Nadkarni PVSM, AVSM, NM, VSM, ADC
(1931–2018)		1 December 198730 November 19902 years, 364 days
13
Laxminarayan Ramdas PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, ADC
Ramdas, LaxminarayanAdmiral
Laxminarayan Ramdas PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, ADC
(1933–2024)		1 December 199030 September 19932 years, 303 days
14
Vijai Singh Shekhawat PVSM, AVSM, VrC, ADC
Shekhawat, Vijai SinghAdmiral
Vijai Singh Shekhawat PVSM, AVSM, VrC, ADC
(born 1937[15])		1 October 199330 September 19962 years, 365 days
15
Vishnu Bhagwat PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Bhagwat, VishnuVishnu Bhagwat PVSM, AVSM, ADC
(born 1939[16])		1 October 199630 December 19982 years, 90 days
16
Sushil Kumar PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, NM, ADC
Kumar, SushilAdmiral
Sushil Kumar PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, NM, ADC
(1940–2019[17])		30 December 199829 December 20012 years, 364 days
17
Madhvendra Singh PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Singh, MadhvendraAdmiral
Madhvendra Singh PVSM, AVSM, ADC
(born 1942[18])		29 December 200131 July 20042 years, 215 days
18
Arun Prakash PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, ADC
Prakash, ArunAdmiral
Arun Prakash PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, ADC
(born 1944)		31 July 200431 October 20062 years, 215 days
19
Sureesh Mehta PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Mehta, SureeshAdmiral
Sureesh Mehta PVSM, AVSM, ADC
(born 1947)		31 October 200631 August 20092 years, 304 days
20
Nirmal Kumar Verma PVSM, AVSM
Verma, Nirmal KumarAdmiral
Nirmal Kumar Verma PVSM, AVSM
(born 1951)		31 August 200931 August 20123 years
21
Devendra Kumar Joshi PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM, ADC
Joshi, Devendra KumarAdmiral
Devendra Kumar Joshi PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM, ADC
(born 1954)		31 August 201226 February 20141 year, 179 days
–
Robin K. Dhowan PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC
Dhowan, RobinVice Admiral
Robin K. Dhowan PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC
(born 1954)
Acting		26 February 201417 April 201450 days
22
Robin K. Dhowan PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC
Dhowan, RobinAdmiral
Robin K. Dhowan PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC
(born 1954)		17 April 201431 May 20162 years, 44 days
23
Sunil Lanba PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Lanba, SunilAdmiral
Sunil Lanba PVSM, AVSM, ADC
(born 1957)		31 May 201631 May 20193 years
24
Karambir Singh PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Admiral
Karambir Singh PVSM, AVSM, ADC
(born 1959)
[19]		31 May 201930 November 20212 years, 183 days
25
R. Hari Kumar PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC
Admiral
R. Hari Kumar PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC
(born 1962)
[20]		30 November 202130 April 20242 years, 152 days
26
Dinesh K Tripathi PVSM, AVSM, NM
Admiral
Dinesh K Tripathi PVSM, AVSM, NM
(born 1964)
[21]		30 April 2024Incumbent7 days

See also

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chief of the Naval Staff (India).
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