The Government of India on May 9, 2026 named Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the new Navy chief . Swaminathan, who is heading the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command, will take charge on May 31, succeeding Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi. Swaminathan earlier served as the Navy’s Vice Chief.
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 Swaminathan is Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987, the officer is a specialist in communication and electronic warfare and has held several key appointments in his career, including the Navy’s Chief of Personnel, Controller of Personnel Services, and Chief of Staff of the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command.
His earlier appointments include command of missile vessels INS Vidyut and INS Vinash, the missile corvette INS Kulish, the guided missile destroyer INS Mysore, and the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
On promotion to Rear Admiral, he served as Chief Staff Officer (Training) at the Kochi-based Southern Naval Command and played a key role in training across the Navy. He was instrumental in raising the Indian Naval Safety Team that oversees operational safety across all verticals of the Navy.
