MUMBAI (PTI): Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has assumed charge as Chief of Staff of Western Naval Command, a defence official said on Sunday.

Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987, Admiral Swaminathan, who took charge on Thursday, is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare and an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham, United Kingdom, the College of Naval Warfare, Karanja and the United States Naval War College, New Port, Rhode Island, a release said.

A recipient of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal, he has held several key operational, staff and training appointments in his career, including the command of missile vessels INS Vidyut and Vinash, the missile corvette INS Kulish; the guided missile destroyer INS Mysore and aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, the release further informed.

On promotion to flag rank, he served as Chief Staff Officer (Training) at Headquarters Southern Naval Command, Kochi and played a key role in the conduct of all training in the Navy, and was simultaneously instrumental in raising the Indian Navy Safety Team that oversees operational safety across all verticals.

It said he went on to become Flag Officer Sea Training, and was, thereafter, privileged to tenant the extremely prestigious appointment of Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, after which he was appointed Flag Officer Offshore Defence Advisory Group and Advisor Offshore Security and Defence to the Government of India.

Admiral Swaminathan's educational qualifications include a BSc degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, MSc in Telecommunication from the Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, MA in Defence Studies from King's College, London, MPhil in Strategic Studies and PhD in International Studies from Mumbai University.