Admiral Tripathi takes charge as new Navy Chief

New Delhi: Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who is a communication and electronic warfare specialist, on Tuesday assumed charge as the 26th Navy chief after incumbent R Hari Kumar retired from service.

An alumnus of Rewa Sainik School, Admiral Tripathi was serving as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff before taking the reins of the force. Born on May 15, 1964, Admiral Tripathi was commissioned into the executive branch of the Indian Navy on July 1, 1985.

Shortly after assuming charge, Admiral Tripathi said the Navy should remain operationally ready at all times to deter potential adversaries in view of the emerging challenges in the maritime domain.

The admiral took charge of the Navy at a time when various strategic waterways, including the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, were witnessing security challenges, especially with Houthi militants targeting merchant ships in the region. “Over the years, our Navy has evolved into a combat-ready, cohesive, credible, and future-proof force, for which I want to thank all the esteemed former Chiefs of the Navy,” he told reporters.

“The existing and emerging challenges in the maritime domain mandate the Indian Navy to remain operationally ready to deter potential adversities at sea in peace and to win the war at sea when asked to do so,” he said. “That will remain my singular focus and endeavour,” the new Navy Chief said.Besides the situation in the Red Sea, there have been growing concerns in India’s security establishment over China’s increasing forays into the Indian Ocean Region.

“I will also strengthen the ongoing efforts of the Indian Navy towards ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance), towards new technologies and becoming an important pillar of the nation’s development towards our collective quest for ‘Viksit Bharat’,” he said. Admiral Tripathi said he will also focus on issues relating to the force’s human resources. “My priority will be to upskill our human resource that is the men and women of our Navy and provide them with the best armament, training, professional environment and administrative support,” Admiral Tripathi said.