Admiral Swaminathan takes command as Navy Chief, eyes modernisation

Admiral Krishna Swaminathan takes charge as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff. He pledges to maintain peak operational readiness and drive technological modernisation to counter emerging maritime threats in a challenging regional security environment.

Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Sunday assumed command as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). He emphasised that maintaining peak operational readiness and driving technological modernisation will be his topmost priorities amid a challenging regional security environment.

Top Priorities Outlined

Expressing gratitude, the newly appointed Navy Chief stated that leading the force is the highest honour of his career. Addressing the media, CNS Admiral Swaminathan said, "I assume command today as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff with a deep sense of humility, responsibility, pride, and gratitude. Being selected by the top leadership of the country for this job has been the highest honour and privilege of my life... Indian Navy stands vigilant to protect national interests wherever they are and is very actively deployed in a regional security environment that continues to remain challenging, complex, unpredictable, and uncertain."

Operational Roadmap and Modernisation

Underscoring his operational roadmap to counter emerging maritime threats, he reiterated that safeguarding the country's economic and security interests remains paramount. "It shall be my highest priority to ensure that the Indian Navy maintains the highest level of operational readiness and combat effectiveness so that it can protect the nation's security and economic interests wherever they can be. The Indian Navy is well set on a course of capability enhancement and modernisation. It shall be my endeavour to sustain the growth momentum of the Navy, consolidate all ongoing programs, scale up where required, and sharpen our operational capabilities through the induction of niche and emerging technologies as soon as I can," CNS Admiral Swaminathan stated.

Focus on 'Atmanirbharata'

The Navy Chief noted that indigenous defence manufacturing remains a Key Result Area (KRA) for his tenure. "The Indian Navy is deeply committed to jointness, Atmanirbharata, and indigenisation, and that will also be one of my key result areas," he added.

CNS Admiral Swaminathan further expressed the maritime standard's collective gratitude to the outgoing Chief, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi. "I'd like to express the collective gratitude of the Indian Navy to Admiral Dinesh Tripathi for his highly meritorious and illustrious service to the nation. He has been an extremely effective CNS, led us very successfully... I will devote every single day of my life to making the Navy a better, stronger, sharper, and more impactful service," he asserted.

Change of Guard

His remarks come after the outgoing CNS, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, expressed immense satisfaction while handing over the baton, highlighting the Navy's successful deployment footprint during critical global crises. "Over the past few years, whenever the nation called, the Navy delivered. We saw it during Operation Sindoor, which still continues, and we are seeing it now during Operation Urja Suraksha amid the turmoil in West Asia... What we have demonstrated as a service is that we are there to protect and promote India's national maritime interests anytime, anywhere, anyhow," Admiral Tripathi said while speaking to reporters on the occasion here.

Exuding confidence in his successor's leadership, the outgoing Navy Chief added, "Today, as I hand over the baton of the Indian Navy to Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, I do it with satisfaction knowing that Admiral Swaminathan, a thorough professional and outstanding leader with proven quality and capacity, will take our Navy to greater heights." (ANI)

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