Karambir Singh jumps queue to pip Vice Admiral Verma to post

Setting aside the seniority norm in appointing a Service chief for the second time, the Government on Saturday selected Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the new Navy chief after the incumbent Admiral Sunil Lanba retires on May 31 this year. Singh supersedes the senior most aspirant Vice Admiral Bimal Verma. In 2016, the present Army chief Rawat was selected for the top job superseding the then senior most officer Pravin Bakshi.

The incoming chief, who is at present serving as the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam, will be the first helicopter pilot to become Chief of Naval Staff. Before the present appointment, Singh also served as Deputy Chief as well as Vice Chief of Naval Staff. 

Verma, younger brother of former Navy Chief Nirmal Verma, is at present the Commander-in-chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command. It is the first tri-service integrated command to look after the country’s strategic interests in that region. The command was set up following the recommendations of the K Subrahmanyam committee recommendations on higher defence management. The panel was set up in the wake of the Kargil war in 1999 to suggest ways to fine tune the fighting capabilities in the modern day warfare.

As regards selecting Singh over Verma, official sources said the Government followed a merit-based approach thereby giving a go by to the tradition of appointing the senior most eligible officer to the post.

They also said Verma had not commanded as chief of operationally important Western and Eastern Commands and these tenures are considered very important for selecting the Navy chief. He was reportedly overlooked for these postings as he was the principal director of naval operations during the 2005 Naval War Room leak in New Delhi. Several critical commercial and some operational documents were leaked. Verma came under scrutiny but was cleared with a “severe displeasure” note. He later served as India’s naval attaché in Iran and also commanded a ship.

Besides Verma, the other contenders for the Navy Chief’s post included Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, Western Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar and Southern Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla, sources said. Verma retires in November this year while Karambir Singh will retire after three-year tenure or attaining 62 years of age, whichever is earlier.

Born on November 3, 1959, Singh was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1980 as a helicopter pilot and has flown extensively on Chetak and Kamov helicopters. He is the son of a former IAF officer.

A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai, hails from Jalandhar. He is also a recipient of Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM). 

In his career spanning over 37 years, Singh has commanded four ships -- Indian Coast Guard ship Chandbibi, missile corvette INS Vijaydurg, guided missile destroyers INS Rana and INS Delhi. He also served as the Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet. His other important assignments include Chief of Staff of the Tri-Services Unified Command at Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area (FOMAG). In the rank of Vice Admiral, he was also the Director General of Project Seabird, looking after infrastructure development of the Navy’s modern base at Karwar.