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The leader of INH (Indian Navy Headquarters) and top aide of the Indian Navy are the Chief of the Air Marshal (India), widely known as Navy Chief and designated CNS. The Chief is indeed the highest commissioned officer and the Minister of Defence’s go-to person for advice on topics involving the navy. Unless such a Chief of Defence is indeed a navy officer, the CNS is the oldest captain on active service and the top-ranked naval officer serving time alone in the Indian Armed Forces.
| Names of CNS | Tenure of Office |
| Rear Admiral J.T.S. Hall | August 15, 1947, to August 14, 1948 |
| Admiral Sir Edward Parry | August 15, 1948, to October 13, 1951 |
| Admiral Sir Mark Pizey | October 14, 1951, to 21 July 1955 |
| Vice-Admiral Sir Stephen Carlill | 22 July 1955 to April 21, 1958 |
| Vice-Admiral R.D. Katari | April 22, 1958, to June 4, 1962 |
| Vice Admiral B.S. Soman | June 05, 1962, to March 3, 1966 |
| Admiral A.K. Chatterjee | March 04, 1966, to February 27, 1970 |
| Admiral S.M. Nanda | February 28, 1970, to February 28, 1973 |
| Admiral S.N. Kohli | March 01, 1973, to February 28, 1976 |
| Admiral J.L. Cursetji | March 01, 1976, to February 28, 1979 |
| Admiral R.L. Pereira | March 01, 1979, to February 28, 1982 |
| Admiral O.S. Dawson | March 01, 1982, to November 30, 1984 |
| Admiral R.H. Tahiliani | December 01, 1984, to November 30, 1987 |
| Admiral J.G. Nadkarni | December 01, 1987, to November 30, 1990 |
| Admiral Ramdas | December 01, 1990, to September 30, 1993 |
| Admiral V.S. Shekhawat | October 01, 1993, to September 30, 1996 |
| Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat | October 01, 1996, to December 30, 1998 |
| Admiral Sushil Kumar | December 31, 1998, to December 29, 2001 |
| Admiral Madhvendra Singh | December 29, 2001, to July 31, 2004 |
| Admiral Arun Prakash | August 01, 2004, to October 30, 2006 |
| Admiral Suresh Mehta | October 30, 2006, to August 31, 2009 |
| Admiral Nirmal Verma | August 31, 2009, to August 31 August 2012 |
| Admiral Devender Kumar Joshi | August 31, 2012, to February 26, 2014 |
| Vice Admiral RK Dhowan | February 26, 2014, to May 31, 2016 |
| Admiral Sunil Lanba | May 31, 2016, to May 31, 2019 |
| Admiral Karambir Singh | May 31, 2019, to November 30th, 2021 |
| Admiral Hari Singh | November 30th, 2021 to Present |
Relevant information about Indian Navy Admirals
- The commander-in-chief of the Royal Indian Navy was given the title at Independence
- The position of “Chief of the Defence Staff and Commanding officer, Royal Indian Navy” was added on March 1st, 1948
- The “Royal” moniker was discarded on January 26, 1950, once India has become a republic. Consequently, “Chief of Defence Staff and Commanding officer, Indian Navy” is the title given to the leader of the Indian Navy
- The Head of Defence Staff title was given to the Indian Navy Chief via the Military leaders (Change in Certification) Act, 1955
- Both a Vice Admiral with three stars and a Rear Admiral with two stars are in charge of the CNS position. The Director of Naval Staff, though, always has been a senior Admiral since 1966
