Rear Admiral R.B. Pandit is Western Fleet chief

Rear Admiral R.B. Pandit on Saturday took command of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet from Rear Admiral Ravneet Singh, who is slated to take charge as Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command, later this month after being promoted to Vice Admiral.

Rear Admiral Singh had assumed command of Western Fleet on October 10, 2015. During his tenure, the Western Fleet was deployed for several operations, including numerous multinational exercises with friendly foreign navies. The Fleet also undertook overseas deployments, and had also participated in the International Fleet Review off Visakhapatnam.

His successor, Rear Admiral Pandit, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in July 1984. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai and the Royal College of Defence Studies, London, Pandit is a specialist in Anti-Submarine Warfare.

The Admiral has held several key appointments, including commanding missile corvette INS

Nirghat , frigate INS Vindhyagiri and the Landing Platform Dock INS Jalashwa . On promotion to Flag Rank, the Admiral held coveted appointments of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign Cooperation and Intelligence) at Naval Headquarters and Chief of Staff Southern Naval Command prior to assuming command of the Western Fleet.