Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan on Thursday assumed charge as the 47th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS). Soon after taking over, he paid homage to fallen heroes by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
An alumnus of the 71st course of the National Defence Academy, Pune, Vice Admiral Vatsayan was commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 1, 1988. A specialist in Gunnery and Missile Systems, he brings over three decades of operational, command, and staff experience to his new role.
He has served on several frontline warships, including as commissioning crew of INS Mysore and INS Nishank, and as Executive Officer of INS Mysore. His commands at sea include Coast Guard ship C-05, missile vessels INS Vibhuti and INS Nashak, missile corvette INS Kuthar, and guided missile frigate INS Sahyadri, which he commanded from commissioning.
In February 2020, he assumed command of the Eastern Fleet during a critical period marked by increased maritime operations following the Galwan incident. He also held key staff appointments at Naval Headquarters, including as Director Naval Plans and Principal Director Naval Plans.
Promoted to Flag Rank in 2018, Vice Admiral Vatsayan served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy & Plans) and later commanded the Eastern Fleet. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2021 for his exceptional leadership and distinguished service.
He has held key positions in tri-services coordination, serving as Deputy Commandant at the National Defence Academy and later as Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (DCIDS), where he was instrumental in enhancing jointness, operational coordination, and policy formulation promoting indigenisation.
Vice Admiral Vatsayan is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; Naval War College, Goa; and National Defence College, New Delhi.