Vice Admiral Hari Kumar to take charge as India’s next navy chief

Kumar is currently heading the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command. The 59-year-old officer was commissioned into the navy in January 1983.

The Central government on Tuesday announced that Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar will take over as India’s next navy chief on November 30, replacing Admiral Karambir Singh who retires on that day, the Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday.

The 59-year-old officer was commissioned into the navy in January 1983. (Indian Navy)

Kumar is currently heading the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command. The 59-year-old officer was commissioned into the navy in January 1983.

Before taking over the Western Naval Command, Kumar was Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, the ministry said in a statement. In that capacity, he was involved in the ongoing theaterisation drive for optimal use of the military’s resources.

The warships commanded by Kumar include aircraft carrier INS Viraat (no longer in service), INS Ranvir, INS Nishank and INS Kora, the statement said. He has undergone courses at the Naval War College, US, Army War College, Mhow and Royal College of Defence Studies, UK.

Kumar will take over the navy’s reins at a time when the department of military affairs (DMA), headed by chief of defence staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, has asked the three services to expedite their ongoing studies on the creation of threatre commands to best utilise the military’s resources for future wars and operations, and submit comprehensive reports within six months.

The setting of an April 2022 deadline for the submission of the studies focusing on finalising the joint structures seeks to give new impetus to theaterisation, a long-awaited military reform. The deadline for submitting the reports has been advanced from September 2022 to April 2022.

The current theaterisation model seeks to set up four new integrated commands for synergy in operations - two land-centric theatres, an air defence command and a maritime theatre command. The creation of theatre commands could take up to two years.

Theaterisation refers to placing specific units of the army, the navy and the air force under a theatre commander. Such commands are to be led by an officer from any of the three services, depending on the roles assigned to them.