Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan Takes Charge as New Vice Chief of Naval Staff

Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan has officially assumed the position of the 47th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. With a rich background in naval operations and policy, he paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial. His extensive experience includes commanding various naval vessels and holding key strategic roles within the Indian Navy. Vatsayan's leadership has been recognized with prestigious awards, and he is expected to bring significant contributions to his new role. Read on to learn more about his career and responsibilities.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 1, 2025, 12:58 IST

Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan's New Role

New Delhi, Aug 1: Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan has officially taken over as the 47th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS) as of Friday.

Following his appointment, he paid homage to fallen soldiers by laying wreaths at the National War Memorial located in the capital.

Commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 1, 1988, Vatsayan has a specialization in gunnery and missile systems. His educational background includes advanced military training from the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, the Naval War College in Goa, and the National Defence College in New Delhi.

His command experience encompasses various vessels, including a Coast Guard IPV, missile vessels INS Vibhuti and INS Nashak, missile corvette INS Kuthar, and the Guided Missile Frigate INS Sahyadri, where he was part of the commissioning crew.

In terms of staff roles, he has served as Joint Director of Personnel, Director of Personnel (Policy), Director of Naval Plans (Perspective Planning), and Principal Director of Naval Plans. He previously held the position of Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff for Policy Planning and Force Development at HQ IDS.

Vatsayan has also occupied significant strategic and policy roles at the Naval Headquarters, including Joint Director and Director (Personnel Policy), Director (Naval Plans - Perspective Plan), and Principal Director (Naval Plans).

After being promoted to flag rank in February 2018, he took on the role of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) and later commanded the Eastern Fleet. His exemplary service earned him the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021.

He subsequently served as Deputy Commandant of the National Defence Academy and was appointed Chief of Staff of the Eastern Naval Command in December 2021, where he oversaw operational readiness, manpower development, and infrastructure improvements.

Before his current role as Joint Chief of Naval Staff, he was Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) and later DCIDS (Policy, Planning and Force Development) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, where he played a crucial role in developing policies for tri-army operational coordination, integration, force structure development, and indigenisation.

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, extended his congratulations to Admiral Vatsayan and wished him success in his new responsibilities as VCNS.