Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, will be the next Navy Chief, the Defence Ministry announced Tuesday. Vice Admiral Kumar will take charge after Adm Karambir Singh retires on November 30.
A 1983-batch officer, Kumar has been conferred with the PVSM, AVSM and VSM. He has served in various command, staff and instructional appointments, the ministry said, including INS Nishank, Missile Corvette, INS Kora and Guided Missile Destroyer INS Ranvir. He also commanded Indian Navy’s Aircraft Carrier INS Viraat.
Before taking over the Western Naval Command, Kumar was the Chief of Integrated Staff Committee of the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS).
“The government has appointed Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar, presently Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, as the next Chief of the Naval Staff with effect from the afternoon of November 30,” the ministry said in a statement.
Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command, is the senior-most officer after Admiral Singh, but he is also retiring on November 30, officials said.
