Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 01 October 2025
Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, AVSM, NM today assumed charge as the 19th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN). The tri-service command, headquartered at Sri Vijaya Puram, is India’s only joint operational command comprising the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, tasked with safeguarding national interests in the strategically significant Indian Ocean Region and the critical Malacca Strait.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1988, Vice Admiral Kochhar is a Gunnery and Missile Specialist and an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla; Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; Naval War College, Mumbai; and the Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom.
In his 37-year-long career, he has served extensively on frontline warships of both Eastern and Western Fleets. He has commanded INS Nashak, INS Vibhuti, INS Kirpan, and commissioned the frigate INS Trikand in Russia. He also commanded India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya as its third skipper, successfully integrating and operationalising its Air Wing.
At Naval Headquarters, he held key assignments in budgeting and weapon procurement. On promotion to Flag Rank in 2018, he was appointed Assistant Controller of Carrier Projects and Assistant Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, where he steered government approvals for major shipbuilding projects and contributed to strengthening naval capabilities.
As Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet in 2021, he led maritime operations during the challenging COVID-19 period. Later, as Commandant of the National Defence Academy in 2022, he oversaw the historic induction of women cadets and enhanced training infrastructure. In May 2024, he assumed charge as Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command, where he guided naval responses amid the Israel-Hamas conflict and renewed piracy threats in the Gulf region.
Vice Admiral Kochhar has also played a notable role in operations along the western coast during Op Sindoor, ensuring a resounding defeat to Pakistan. For his distinguished service, he has been decorated with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and the Nausena Medal (NM).
On assuming charge as CINCAN, Vice Admiral Kochhar reaffirmed the Andaman and Nicobar Command’s critical role in safeguarding India’s maritime frontiers and ensuring stability in the Indo-Pacific. He emphasised his commitment to enhancing operational readiness, jointness, and synergy among the armed forces, while strengthening the command’s role as a cornerstone of India’s security architecture in the region. (Story Based on PR)
