Indian Naval Academy Gets New Commandant

The Indian Navy has announced Rear Admiral Sameer Saxena as the new commander of its Mumbai-based Western fleet, often referred to as its sword arm vested with the most potent naval assets, including the INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier group and the newly-inducted Scopene attack submarines. 

The post of Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet is one of the most significant operational assignments in the Indian Navy, tasked with securing Indian maritime interests from the Gulf of Hormuz to the Western Indian Ocean.

A navigation specialist, Rear Admiral Saxena is an alumnus of the US Naval War College, Newport. He was commanded the frontline destroyer, INS Mysore and served as Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet, which he now commands. He was also Naval Assistant to the Chief of Naval Staff and the Naval Advisor to the Indian High Commission at London. On promotion to the rank of Rear Admiral, he served as Assistant Chief if Naval Staff (Policy & Plans). 

As the Western Fleet Commander, he replaces Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar, who takes over as Project Director (Operations and Training) for the strategic nuclear submarine programme. 

The other significant announcement was on the appointment of Vice-Admiral Puneet Bahl as Commandant of the Indian Naval Acacemy, Ezhimala. An experienced maritime reconnaissance pilot, he oversaw the induction of the iconic P8I naval snoop planes into the Indian Navy during his command of the naval airbase, INS Rajali. He flew reconnaissance sorties extensively during the Kargil War. 

Rear Admiral Bahl was Defence Attache to Japan and South Korea and served as Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Goa Naval Areas. In three-star rank, he has served as Director-General Project Seabird.

Vishal Thapar

BW Reporters Group Editorial Head for BW’s Defence, Security & Police