Who is the current Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy? Check Full List
The government of India appointed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of the Naval Staff. He will take charge as India's 27th Chief of the Naval Staff. Read to know more details and also the full list of Chiefs of the Naval Staff to date.
The government of India appointed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, as the next Chief of the Naval Staff. He will take charge as India's 27th Chief of the Naval Staff. He will succeed Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who retires on 31 May 2026.
The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) is held by a four-star admiral. The CNS is the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Navy. It is the status equivalent of the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of the Army Staff, and the Chief of the Air Staff. The Chief of the Naval Staff reports to the President of India, the Prime Minister of India, the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff.
Who is Admiral Krishna Swaminathan?
Admiral Krishna Swaminathan was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1987. He is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare. Before taking over the role of Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Swaminathan served as the 34th Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, which he had taken charge of on 31 July 2025.
He commanded missile vessels INS Vidyut and INS Vinash, the missile corvette INS Kulish, the guided missile destroyer INS Mysore, and aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
He also served as Chief Staff Officer (Training) at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi after being promoted to Rear Admiral. He also played a key role in establishing the Indian Naval Safety Team. He also headed the Navy's Work Up Organisation as Flag Officer Sea Training. He also served as Flag Officer Offshore Defence Advisory Group and Advisor on Offshore Security and Defence to the Government of India.
Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan is an alumnus of 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.
Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM).
List of Chief of Naval Staff of India (1947 to 2026)
Here is the list of Chief of Naval Staff of India since 1947 to date. Originally designated as the Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy (later Indian Navy).
Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy (later Indian Navy)
| Sr.No. | Name | Tenure |
| 1 | Rear Admiral John Talbot Savignac Hall | 15 August 1947 - 14 August 1948 |
| 2 | Vice Admiral Sir William Edward Parry | 14 August 1948 - 13 October 1951 |
| 3 | Admiral Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey | 13 October 1951 - 31 March 1955 |
Chief of the Naval Staff (1955 - present)
| 1 | Admiral Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey | 1 April 1955 - 21 July 1955 |
| 2 | Vice Admiral Sir Stephen Hope Carlill | 21 July 1955 - 21 April 1958 |
| 3 | Vice Admiral Ram Dass Katari (first Indian to hold the post) | 22 April 1958 - 4 June 1962 |
| 4 | Vice Admiral Bhaskar Sadshiv Soman | 4 June 1962 - 3 March 1966 |
| 5 | Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji | 3 March 1966 - 28 February 1970 |
| 6 | Admiral Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda | 28 February 1970 - 28 February 1973 |
| 7 | Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli | 1 March 1973 - 29 February 1976 |
| 8 | Admiral Jal Cursetji | 1 March 1976 - 1 March 1979 |
| 9 | Admiral Ronald Lynsdale Pereira | 1 March 1979 - 28 February 1982 |
| 10 | Admiral Oscar Stanley Dawson | 1 March 1982 - 30 November 1984 |
| 11 | Admiral Radhakrishna Hariram Tahiliani | 1 December 1984 - 30 November 1987 |
| 12 | Admiral Jayant Ganpat Nadkarni | 1 December 1987 - 30 November 1990 |
| 13 | Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas | 1 December 1990 - 30 September 1993 |
| 14 | Admiral Vijai Singh Shekhawat | 1 October 1993 - 30 September 1996 |
| 15 | Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat | 1 October 1996 - 30 December 1998 |
| 16 | Admiral Sushil Kumar | 30 December 1998 - 29 December 2001 |
| 17 | Admiral Madhvendra Singh | 29 December 2001 - 31 July 2004 |
| 18 | Admiral Arun Prakash | 31 July 2004 - 31 October 2006 |
| 19 | Admiral Sureesh Mehta | 31 October 2006 - 31 August 2009 |
| 20 | Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma | 31 August 2009 - 31 August 2012 |
| 21 | Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi | 31 August 2012 - 26 February 2014 |
| - | Vice Admiral Robin K. Dhowan (Acting) | 26 February 2014 - 17 April 2014 |
| 22 | Admiral Robin K. Dhowan | 17 April 2014 - 31 May 2016 |
| 23 | Admiral Sunil Lanba | 31 May 2016 - 31 May 2019 |
| 24 | Admiral Karambir Singh | 31 May 2019 - 30 November 21 |
| 25 | Admiral R. Hari Kumar | 30 November 2021 - 30 April 2024 |
| 26 | Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi | 30 April 2024 - 31 May 2026 |
| 27 | Admiral Krishna Swaminathan | 31 May 2026 - present |
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