Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan Assumes Role as 47th Vice Chief of Naval Staff
Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, AVSM, NM, has officially taken over as the 47th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS), marking a significant moment in the leadership of India's naval forces. The transition was marked by a wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial, where the Flag Officer paid tribute to India's fallen soldiers.
Vice Admiral Vatsayan, a seasoned officer from the 71st course of the National Defence Academy, joined the Indian Navy on January 1, 1988. As a specialist in Gunnery and Missile Systems, he brings over 37 years of distinguished service in various command, operational, and policy roles, both at sea and on land.
Also Read: Meet Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan: The New Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
His extensive sea commands include leading INS Vibhuti, INS Nashak, INS Kuthar, and INS Sahyadri, where he served as the commissioning commanding officer. During a time of increased operational tempo following the Galwan clashes, he commanded the Eastern Fleet as Flag Officer Commanding, overseeing numerous strategic deployments and joint maritime exercises. His experience includes pivotal roles aboard INS Mysore, INS Nishank, and the ICGS Sangram during their commissioning phases.
An alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College (Wellington), Naval War College (Goa), and National Defence College (New Delhi), Vice Admiral Vatsayan has held several key positions at Naval Headquarters, including Director of Personnel Policy, Director Naval Plans (Perspective Planning), and Principal Director Naval Plans. After being promoted to Flag Rank in 2018, he acted as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) before returning to sea as Eastern Fleet Commander.
He later served as Deputy Commandant at the NDA and most recently took on the role of Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (DCIDS) for both Operations and Policy, where he was instrumental in advancing tri-services integration, jointness, and indigenous force development.
His outstanding service and leadership were recognized with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2021.
Vice Admiral Vatsayan is married to Sarita, and they have two children: a son who holds an MBA from the Indian School of Business and a daughter who has pursued studies in Humanities.
