VICE Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi will be the new Navy chief by the end of this month succeeding incumbent Admiral R Hari Kumar. Admiral Kumar will retire from service on April 30. Vice Admiral Tripathi is currently serving as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. “The Government has appointed Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, presently serving as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff as the next Chief of the Naval Staff with effect from the afternoon of April 30,” the Defence Ministry said. Born on May 15, 1964, Vice Admiral Tripathi was commissioned into the executive branch of the Indian Navy on July 1, 1985. A communication and electronic warfare specialist, he has had a long and distinguished service spanning nearly 30 years.

 

Prior to taking over as Vice Chief of Navy, he had served as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command. Vice Admiral Tripathi has served in a variety of command, staff and instructional appointments. He has commanded INS Vinash. He has also held various important operational and staff appointments which include Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet, Director of Naval Operations, Principal Director Network Centric Operations and Principal Director of Naval Plans at New Delhi. As Rear Admiral, he served as Flag Officer Commanding of the Eastern Fleet. He also served as Commandant of the prestigious Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. India delivers BrahMos... supersonic cruise missile system along with the missiles started last month itself, they said.

 

The Philippines is taking delivery of the missile systems at a time when tensions between them and China have escalated owing to frequent clashes in the South China Sea. The three batteries of the BrahMos missile system would be deployed by the Philippines in their coastal areas to guard against any threat in the region. The deal has been cleared with multiple approvals from partner nations in the programme. The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, is said to be one of the most successful missile programs in the world. Acknowledged as the foremost and swiftest precision-guided weapon on a global scale, BRAHMOS has played a pivotal role in enhancing India’s deterrence capabilities. The Indian Army has integrated multiple BrahMos regiments into its arsenal since 2007.