Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan to be next Chief of Naval Staff — Who is he?

Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has been appointed as the next Chief of Naval Staff, the Ministry of Defence said on Saturday. He is currently serving as the Western Naval Commander in Mumbai.

Swaminathan will succeed Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi and will assume charge as the Navy Chief on May 31. His tenure will continue till 31 December 2028.

In an official announcement, the Defence Ministry wrote on X, “Government appoints Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM as the next Chief of the Naval Staff.”

“Currently serving as FOC-in-C (Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief), Western Naval Command, the Admiral brings nearly four decades of distinguished service, with extensive operational, strategic and personnel management experience across key appointments in the Indian Navy,” it said.

“He will succeed Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi who retires on 31 May 2026,” the ministry added.

He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla; 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.