Vice Admiral Karambir Singh to be next Navy chief

The central government on Saturday appointed Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the next Chief of the Naval Staff.

The new Navy Chief would take over from the incumbent Admiral Sunil Lanba who will hang his boots on May 31 after four decades of illustrious service.

Commissioned into the Indian Navy in July 1980, Vice Admiral Singh is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla.

The Admiral earned his wings as a helicopter pilot in 1982 and has flown extensively on the Chetak and Kamov helicopters.

He is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai and has served as Directing Staff in both these institutions.

In his career spanning over 37 years, the Admiral has commanded Indian Coast Guard Ship Chandbibi, Missile Corvette INS Vijaydurg as well as two Guided Missile Destroyers INS Rana and INS Delhi, said a Navy official.

He also served as the Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet.

Ashore, the Admiral worked at Naval Headquarters as the Joint Director Naval Air Staff, and as Captain Air and Officer-in-Charge of the Naval Air Station at Mumbai. He has also served a member of the Aircrew Instrument Rating and Categorisation Board (AIRCATS).

On promotion to flag rank, the Admiral was appointed as Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam His other important flag appointments include Chief of Staff of the Tri-Services Unified Command at Andaman & Nicobar Islands and as the Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area.

In the rank of Vice Admiral, he has been the Director General Project Seabird, in-charge of infrastructure development of the Navy’s modern base at Karwar.

He also served as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Vice Chief of the Naval Staff at the Naval HQ.