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Chief of the Naval Staff (India)

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Chief of the Naval Staff
Flag of the Chief of the Naval Staff
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; 74 years ago (1950-01-26)
First holderVice-Admiral Edward Parry
Deputy Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
Salary₹250,000 (US$3,000) monthly[1][2]

The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) is a statutory office held by 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 overseeing the force's overall functioning during states of peace and conflict, along with the realization of India's strategic maritime objectives, namely, the defence of the country's sovereignty against maritime threats and the security of international sea lines in the Indo-Pacific.[4]

Being 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]

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 forces.[6]

Description

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The South Block, Central Secretariat, New Delhi - the station of the IHQ of MoD (Navy), where the CNS is seated.

Roles and responsibilities

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Seated at Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy) (IHQ of MoD (Navy)), stationed in New Delhi, the CNS is the senior-most operational officer of the IN, and is tasked with the following:

  • Advising the Central Government on all matters privy to the IN.[5]
  • Commitment to enhancing the force's capabilities towards sustaining combat readiness and operational effectiveness during periods of peace and conflict.[7]
  • Coordinating various components of the IN towards the protection-cum-realization of the nation's maritime sovereignty during states of armed conflict or war.[8]
  • Providing direction towards the overall functioning of the organization's facets, such as command, control, administration and strategy.[9]
  • Convening courts-martial at the behest of the Central Government to review cases of misconduct during peace and wartime.[10]
  • Reviewing the judicial sentencing and pleas of officers convicted of professional misconduct whilst in service.[10]

In addition to these responsibilities, the CAS is also a permanent member of:

The office's eminence in the aforementioned groups thus grants the appointee with the role to advise the Minister of Defence (Raksha Mantri or RM) on the affairs related to the IN's functioning and the promotion of an comprehensive integrated planning policy with respect to the affairs of tri-service integration, doctrinal strategy, capability development, defence acquisition and infrastructure.[11][12]

Structure

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As the professional head of the force, the CNS is assisted by one subordinate officer and three principal staff officers, namely:

Promotion

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Initially, beginning in the pre-independence era, until 1968, the office of CNS was held by a three-star vice admiral.[14] However, the office's rank-specifications was raised to the four-star rank of admiral when then-CNS Vice Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji was promoted in March 1968; every CNS-appointee since then has been an admiral.[14]

The move to appoint a new designate to the position usually begins several months before the change-of-command, wherein the Ministry of Defence (MoD) reviews the résumés of the IN's senior-most vice admirals, which regularly includes the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS), the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chiefs (FOC-in-C) of the force's three combatant commands and the Commander-in-Chiefs (C-in-C) of India's two integrated military commands.[15]

Appointments to the position are made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) - comprising the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence, upon recommendation from IHQ of MoD (Navy), whereupon the designated appointee is subsequently promoted to the rank of admiral.[16]

Tenure

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According to Part III of the IN's Regulations for the Navy, 1991 - a CNS-appointee reaches superannuation upon the completion of three years in the position or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.[17] However, an appointee may also be dismissed from office by the President of India before the conclusion of the tenure under the Section 15(1) of the Navy Act, 1957 and Article 310 of the Constitution.[18] This provision was used by then-President K. R. Narayanan to dismiss then-CNS Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat from service in December 1998.[19]

Between 1950 and 1990, the senior-most vice admirals in the IN's command cadre have customarily been appointed as CNS, even under the event of an abrupt stoppage during the incumbent's tenure - by termination or resignation; however, this tradition has since been broken thrice: first in 1990, when then CNS-designate Vice Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas superseded one senior officer, and again in 2014 and 2016, when then-Vice Admirals Robin K. Dhowan and Karambir Singh were appointed to the office superseding one senior officer, respectively.[20][21]IAF

Additionally, a CNS-appointee is also eligible to be selected for the position of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), in accordance with the Naval Ceremonial, Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous (Amendment) Regulations, 2022 - which prescribes that the designated nominee, in this case the CNS, must be under the age of 62 at the time of appointment as CDS; as of 2024, no CNS-appointee has ever been appointed as CDS.[22][23] Although the office of CDS was originally created in 2019, the MoD had originally planned for it to be created in 2001 with then-CNS Admiral Sushil Kumar as its first appointee; however, the plan failed to materialize over interservice rivalry and Kumar never became the CDS.[24][25]

History

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Dominion-era (1947-1950)

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Following independence and the subsequent partition of the subcontinent, the RIN was bifurcated into two new entities: the successor Royal Indian Navy (RIN) - responsible for the Dominion of India, and the newly-formed Royal Pakistan Navy (RPN) - responsible for the Dominion of Pakistan. At the time, the RIN's commanding officer was designated the Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy."[26] On 21 June 1948, the title of "Chief of the Naval Staff" was added,[27] On 21 June 1948, the officer was re-designated as Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy (CNS/C-in-C, RIN) - as a measure to reflect uniformity with the C-in-Cs of the post-independence Indian Army and the Royal Indian Air Force.[28]

Upon India's establishment as a republic on 26 January 1950, the RIN was rechristened as the Indian Navy (IN), dropping the Royal-prefix; subsequently, the position's designation was again modified to Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy (CNS/C-in-C, IN).[29]

Republic-era (1950-present)

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In 1955, the designation of the office was shortened to simply to Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) through the Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955; as a result of the Act, the tenure of the then-serving C-in-C - Admiral Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey, continued under the new designation.[30] Between 1950 and 1958, the office was officiated by flag officers seconded from the RN, which ceased with the appointment of Vice Admiral Ram Dass Katari in April 1958 - which thus made him the first Indian officer to be promoted to the rank, and subsequently, the first Indian-origin chief of the IN.[31][32][29] Ten years later, in March 1968, the rank-specifications for the office was raised to the rank of admiral, with the promotion of then-CNS Vice Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji.[14]

In December 1998, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, the then-incumbent CNS and Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (Chairman COSC), was abruptly dismissed from office, which made him the only CNS-appointee - and the only-ever military chief in the Indian Armed Forces to be relieved from service to date.[33][19]

Appointees

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See also: Royal Indian Navy § Commanding officers

Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy (1947–1948)

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No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
John Talbot Savignac Hall CIE
Hall, John Talbot SavignacRear Admiral
John Talbot Savignac Hall CIE
(1896–1964)		15 August 194720 June 1948310 days[34][35]

Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy (1948–1950)

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No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
John Talbot Savignac Hall CIE
Hall, John Talbot SavignacRear Admiral
John Talbot Savignac Hall CIE
(1896–1964)		21 June 194814 August 194854 days[34][27]
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)

[edit]
No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office
2
Sir William Edward Parry KCB [36]
Parry, William EdwardVice-Admiral
Sir William Edward Parry KCB [36]
(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)

[edit]
No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time 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[37])		1 October 199330 September 19962 years, 365 days
15
Vishnu Bhagwat PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Bhagwat, VishnuAdmiral
Vishnu Bhagwat PVSM, AVSM, ADC
(born 1939[38])		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[39])		30 December 199829 December 20012 years, 364 days
17
Madhvendra Singh PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Singh, MadhvendraAdmiral
Madhvendra Singh PVSM, AVSM, ADC
(born 1942[40])		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)
[41]		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)
[42]		30 November 202130 April 20242 years, 152 days
26
Dinesh K Tripathi PVSM, AVSM, NM
Admiral
Dinesh K Tripathi PVSM, AVSM, NM
(born 1964)
[43]		30 April 2024Incumbent196 days

See also

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Other offices of the Indian Armed Forces

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History

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References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chief of the Naval Staff (India).
  1. ^ "Report of the 7th Central Pay Commission of India" (PDF). Seventh Central Pay Commission, Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  2. ^ Biswas, Shreya, ed. (29 June 2016). "7th Pay Commission cleared: What is the Pay Commission? How does it affect salaries?". India Today. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Chief of the Naval Staff". www.indiannavy.nic.in.
  4. ^ "Defense & Security India's Evolving Maritime Strategy". southasianvoices.org. 31 May 2023.
  5. ^ a b "The Civil and the Military in India". www.theindiaforum.in. 12 February 2020.
  6. ^ "PRESIDENT'S SECRETARIAT" (PDF). www.mha.gov.in. 26 July 1979.
  7. ^ "Operational consolidation and enhanced combat effectiveness top priorities: Naval Chief". www.spsmai.com. 1 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Committed to enhancing presence in Indian ocean region: Navy Chief". www.newindianexpress.com. 7 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Indian Armed Forces". knowindia.india.gov.in.
  10. ^ a b "The Navy Act, 1957" (PDF).
  11. ^ "Civil-military relations in Independent India". www.orfonline.org. 15 August 2022.
  12. ^ "CDS Rawat to face hurdles & sabotage unless rules are rewritten". www.orfonline.org. 2 January 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d "Principal Staff Officers". www.indiannavy.nic.in. 12 January 2022.
  14. ^ a b c "Remembering the Admiral who shed his vice and built the Navy". thedailyguardian.com. 15 August 2020.
  15. ^ "Election Commission nod to government for appointment of new Navy chief". economictimes.indiatimes.com. 23 March 2014.
  16. ^ "Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi appointed as the next Chief of the Naval Staff". pib.gov.in. 19 April 2024.
  17. ^ "REGULATIONS FOR THE NAVY PART III (Naval Ceremonial, Conditions and Service and Miscellaneous Regulation 1963)" (PDF). www.mod.gov.in.
  18. ^ "Article 310 in Constitution of India". indiankanoon.org.
  19. ^ a b "Bhagwat was sacked after reneging on compromise deal, say officials". m.rediff.com. 2 January 1999.
  20. ^ "Dhowan's appointment a rare departure from principle". www.thehindu.com. 21 May 2016.
  21. ^ "Vice Admiral Karambir Singh is new Navy chief, supersedes Vice Admiral Bimal Verma". 23 March 2019.
  22. ^ "Watch - Navy or IAF Officer Should've Been Made CDS but Lt Gen Chauhan a Good Choice: Ajai Shukla". thewire.in. 29 September 2022.
  23. ^ "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (Department of Defence) NOTIFICATION" (PDF). assettype.com.
  24. ^ "Admiral Sushil Kumar appointed Chief of Defence Staff". m.rediff.com. 10 April 2001.
  25. ^ "Made in India CDS". m.rediff.com. 10 April 2001.
  26. ^ "Press Note" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 10 February 1947. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  27. ^ a b "Press Communique" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 21 June 1948. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  28. ^ "Press Communique" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 21 June 1948. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
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  32. ^ "CHANGE OF NAVAL COMMAND" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 18 April 1958.
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  36. ^ "Hon'ble President Shri Ram Nath Kovind to award the President's colour to Indian Naval Academy". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
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  39. ^ "Former Indian Navy chief Sushil Kumar dies". India Today. 27 November 2019.
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  41. ^ "Vice Admiral Karambir Singh appointed next Navy Chief". The Hindu. 23 March 2019.
  42. ^ "Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar to be next chief of naval staff". Times of India. 9 November 2021.
  43. ^ "Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi appointed as the next Chief of the Naval Staff". PIB Delhi. 19 April 2024.
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