Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, PVSM, AVSM, NM, assumed charge as the 48th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS), marking another milestone in a distinguished naval career spanning over 37 years.
Soon after taking over the appointment today, the Flag Officer paid homage to the Bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in service of the Nation by laying a floral wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
An alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy, Pune, Vice Admiral Kochhar was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 July 1988 and specialises in Gunnery and Missile Systems. Over the course of his career, he has held several key command, operational, and staff appointments across the Navy.
The senior officer has commanded Indian Naval Ships Nashak, Vibhuti, and Kirpan, and also served as the Commissioning Commanding Officer of INS Trikand. He later commanded the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, during whose tenure the carrier successfully completed the integration and operationalisation of its air wing.
Vice Admiral Kochhar is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Naval War College, Goa, and the Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom. At Naval Headquarters, he held several important appointments, including Joint Director Naval Plans, Director Staff Requirements, and Principal Director DSCT.
After promotion to Flag Rank in 2018, he served as Assistant Controller of Carrier Projects and Assistant Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition. He subsequently commanded the Western Fleet in 2021 before taking over as Commandant of the National Defence Academy, where he played a significant role in enhancing training standards and infrastructure.
He later assumed charge as Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command, on 25 May 2024 during a challenging security environment in the Western Maritime Theatre. During this period, he led high-tempo naval operations and spearheaded responses to conventional and non-traditional threats along the Western Seaboard, including operations under Operation Sindoor.
For his distinguished service, Vice Admiral Kochhar has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2026.
Prior to assuming the present appointment, he served as Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, where he played a key role in enhancing operational coordination, integration, and jointness among the three Services.
