Vice Admiral Karambir Singh to be Next Navy Chief, Becomes First Helicopter Pilot to Occupy Office

New Delhi: Vice Admiral Karambir Singh has been appointed the next Navy Chief, a defence ministry official said on Saturday, the first helicopter pilot to occupy the office. Singh will succeed Admiral Sunil Lanba who retires on May 31.

At present, Vice Admiral Singh is serving as the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.

Singh, who belongs to Jalandhar in Punjab, graduated from Barnes School in Maharashtra before joining the NDA. A helicopter pilot, he has flown Chetaks and Kamovs and commanded four ships at various stages of his career — ICG Chandbibi (Patrol craft of Indian Coast Guard), INS Vijaydurg (Missile ship), INS Rana (Destroyer) and INS Delhi (Destroyer).