VICE Admiral Vineet McCarty on Monday assumed charge as the 20th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), India’s only tri-service command, a statement said. Commissioned into the Navy on July 1, 1989, Vice Admiral McCarty is a gunnery and missile warfare specialist with over 36 years of experience spanning operational, staff, training and tri-service assignments. An alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the National Defence College, New Delhi, he was part of the commissioning crew of INS Delhi and held several specialist appointments aboard the frontline destroyer. During his naval career, he has commanded the patrol vessel INS Ajay, missile corvette INS Khanjar and the stealth frigate INS Shivalik. His key training and staff appointments include serving as Training Commander at the Indian Naval Academy and Command Plans Officer at the Headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command. At Naval Headquarters, he served as Commodore Naval Plans.

 

After being promoted to Flag Rank in 2020, Vice Admiral McCarty held several senior appointments, including Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Staff Requirements), Controller of Personnel Services and Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet in 2023. He also served as the 10th Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy in 2024. Before assuming charge of the ANC, he held consecutive tri-service appointments at the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Policy, Plans and Force Development) and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Doctrine, Organisation and Training) during 2025-26. His overseas assignments include serving as Directing Staff at the Naval and Maritime Academy in Sri Lanka and as Defence Adviser to Singapore and the Philippines from 2011 to 2015. The Navy said Vice Admiral McCarty’s extensive experience across operational commands, strategic planning and tri-service roles is expected to further strengthen jointness and operational preparedness at the strategically significant Andaman and Nicobar Command.