Vice Adm AN Pramod, AVSM, YSM, has taken over as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, one of the senior Principal Staff Officer appointments at Naval Headquarters in New Delhi, which sits under the Ministry of Defence. He assumed charge on Saturday, moving up from his previous posting as Director General Naval Operations.

A naval aviator's path to Deputy Chief of Naval Staff

The Flag Officer was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jul 1990, an alumnus of the 38th Integrated Cadet Course at the Naval Academy, Goa. He is a CAT A Sea King Air Operations Officer and a Communication and Electronic Warfare Specialist.

That places him among the flag officers who rose through the Navy's naval aviation and rotary-wing fleet rather than the surface gunnery or submarine streams. He went on to the Staff Course at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the Naval Higher Command Course at the Naval War College, Goa, across a career that now runs beyond 36 years.

Sea commands and shore appointments

At sea, Vice Adm Pramod was Executive Officer of the guided missile destroyer INS Rajput and went on to command three warships. These were the anti-submarine warfare patrol vessel INS Abhay, the landing ship tank INS Shardul and the guided missile frigate INS Satpura, hulls that span anti-submarine work, amphibious lift and surface combat.

He served as Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet during Operation Snow Leopard, the deployment that followed the 2020 Galwan clash. Earlier he had taken part in Operation Vijay in 1999 and Operation Parakram in 2001.

From the air station at Sri Vijaya Puram to Naval Headquarters

Ashore, the Flag Officer commanded INS Utkrosh, the naval air station at Sri Vijaya Puram, earlier Port Blair, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and served as Directing Staff at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. His appointments at Naval Headquarters have included Joint Director Naval Air Staff and, later, Director and then Principal Director Aircraft Acquisition, the branch that handles the Navy's aircraft procurement.

He was also a member of the Tactical Audit Group from 2006 to 2009 and of the Indian Naval Strategic and Operational Council from 2016 to 2019. On promotion to Rear Admiral, he was Deputy Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) and Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area.

Director General Naval Operations through Operation Sindoor

On elevation to Vice Admiral, he was Director General Naval Operations from December 2023 to July 2026. In that role he was closely involved in the Navy's planning, preparedness and operational readiness during Operation Sindoor and in maritime security operations through the West Asia crisis.

In recognition of that service, he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2024 and the Yudh Seva Medal in 2025, distinguished service decorations the government announces on Republic Day and Independence Day.

Succession at Naval Headquarters

He takes over from Vice Adm Tarun Sobti, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, the outgoing Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, who superannuated on Friday after more than 38 years.