Who is the new Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan is the newly appointed 47th VCNS.
- He has a rich background in gunnery and missile systems.
- Vatsayan has previously held various strategic roles within the Indian Navy.
- He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for his service.
- His appointment reflects a continued commitment to naval excellence.
New Delhi, Aug 1 (NationPress) Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan officially took over the role of the 47th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS) on Friday. Following his appointment, he paid homage at the National War Memorial in the capital by laying wreaths in honor of the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 1, 1988, Vatsayan is an expert in gunnery and missile systems. He has pursued advanced military education at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, the Naval War College in Goa, and the National Defence College in New Delhi.
His command roles have included a Coast Guard IPV, missile vessels INS Vibhuti and INS Nashak, missile corvette INS Kuthar, and the Guided Missile Frigate INS Sahyadri (commissioning crew).
In terms of staff roles, he has served as Joint Director of Personnel, Director of Personnel (Policy), Director Naval Plans (Perspective Planning), and Principal Director Naval Plans. He recently stepped down from the position of Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Policy Planning and Force Development) at HQ IDS.
Vatsayan also held crucial strategic and policy roles at the Naval Headquarters. After being promoted to flag rank in February 2018, he took on the role of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) and subsequently commanded the Eastern Fleet. His exemplary leadership earned him the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021.
According to the Navy, he later served as Deputy Commandant of the National Defence Academy. In December 2021, he was designated Chief of Staff of the Eastern Naval Command, where he oversaw operational readiness, workforce development, and infrastructure enhancement. Prior to his current role, he was the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) and later DCIDS (Policy, Planning and Force Development) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, significantly influencing policies that fostered tri-army operational coordination, integration, force structure enhancement, and indigenisation.
The Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, extended his congratulations to Admiral Vatsayan and wished him success in his new role as VCNS.