The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) is the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy and serves as the principal advisor to the Government of India on maritime matters. Below is the list of all the Indian Navy Chiefs since independence (1947):
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List of Indian Navy Chiefs (1947–Present)
| No. | Name | Tenure |
|———|——————————|—————————–|
| 1 | Admiral Sir Edward Parry | 15 Aug 1947 – 14 Aug 1951 |
| 2 | Admiral Sir Mark Pizey | 15 Aug 1951 – 21 Jul 1955 |
| 3 | Admiral Sir Stephen Carlill | 22 Jul 1955 – 21 Apr 1958 |
| 4 | Vice Admiral R.D. Katari | 22 Apr 1958 – 4 Jun 1962 |
| 5 | Vice Admiral B.S. Soman | 5 Jun 1962 – 3 Mar 1966 |
| 6 | Admiral A.K. Chatterjee | 4 Mar 1966 – 27 Feb 1970 |
| 7 | Admiral S.M. Nanda | 28 Feb 1970 – 28 Feb 1973 |
| 8 | Admiral S.N. Kohli | 1 Mar 1973 – 28 Feb 1976 |
| 9 | Admiral J.L. Cursetji | 1 Mar 1976 – 28 Feb 1979 |
| 10 | Admiral R.L. Pereira | 1 Mar 1979 – 28 Feb 1982 |
| 11 | Admiral O.S. Dawson | 1 Mar 1982 – 30 Nov 1984 |
| 12 | Admiral R.H. Tahiliani | 1 Dec 1984 – 30 Nov 1987 |
| 13 | Admiral J.G. Nadkarni | 1 Dec 1987 – 30 Nov 1990 |
| 14 | Admiral L. Ramdas | 1 Dec 1990 – 30 Sep 1993 |
| 15 | Admiral V.S. Shekhawat | 1 Oct 1993 – 30 Sep 1996 |
| 16 | Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat | 1 Oct 1996 – 30 Dec 1998 |
| 17 | Admiral Sushil Kumar | 31 Dec 1998 – 29 Dec 2001 |
| 18 | Admiral Madhvendra Singh | 29 Dec 2001 – 31 Jul 2004 |
| 19 | Admiral Arun Prakash | 1 Aug 2004 – 31 Oct 2006 |
| 20 | Admiral Suresh Mehta | 31 Oct 2006 – 31 Aug 2009 |
| 21 | Admiral Nirmal Verma | 31 Aug 2009 – 31 Aug 2012 |
| 22 | Admiral D.K. Joshi | 31 Aug 2012 – 26 Feb 2014 |
| 23 | Admiral Robin K. Dhowan | 26 Feb 2014 – 31 May 2016 |
| 24 | Admiral Sunil Lanba | 31 May 2016 – 31 May 2019 |
| 25 | Admiral Karambir Singh | 31 May 2019 – 30 Nov 2021 |
| 26 | Admiral R. Hari Kumar | 30 Nov 2021 – Present |
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Key Highlights
1. First Indian Navy Chief: Vice Admiral R.D. Katari (1958–1962) was the first Indian to hold the post of Chief of the Naval Staff.
2. Longest Tenure: Admiral S.M. Nanda (1970–1973) and Admiral Arun Prakash (2004–2006) served for 3 years each.
3. Shortest Tenure: Admiral D.K. Joshi (2012–2014) resigned after a submarine accident.
4. Current Chief: Admiral R. Hari Kumar (since 30 November 2021).
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Notable Contributions
– Admiral S.M. Nanda: Played a key role in the 1971 Indo-Pak War, leading the Indian Navy to a decisive victory.
– Admiral Arun Prakash: Focused on modernizing the Navy and strengthening maritime security.
– Admiral Karambir Singh: Oversaw the induction of advanced platforms like INS Vikrant (aircraft carrier) and P-8I Poseidon aircraft.
