Admiral Sunil Lanba
Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, AVSM, IN (Retd), is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the College of Defence Management, Secunderabad, and, the Royal College of Defence Studies, London.
In the earlier segment of his illustrious naval career, spanning some four decades, the Admiral, who is a specialist in Navigation and Aircraft Direction, served as the Navigation, Direction and Operations Officer aboard several ships in both, the Eastern and Western Fleets of the Indian Navy.
He has tenanted a number of important appointments at sea and ashore — the latter in various headquarters, operational and training establishments, as also tri-Service institutions. His sea tenures have included the command of the Kakinada — a specialised Mine Countermeasures Vessel; the Himgiri — an indigenous Leander Class Frigate; INS Ranvijay — a Rajput Class Guided-missile Destroyer, and, INS Mumbai, an indigenous Delhi Class Guided-missile Destroyer. He has also been the Executive Officer of the aircraft carrier, the Viraat, and served with great distinction as the Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet.
With multiple tenures on the training staff of India’s premier training establishments, Admiral Lanba has been deeply engaged with professional training, the shaping of India’s future leadership, and, the skilling of the officers of the Indian Armed Forces.
As the Chief of Staff of the Southern Naval Command, he was responsible for the transformation of the training methodology for the future Indian Navy. Admiral Lanba was thereafter appointed Flag Officer Sea Training and ushered-in a whole slew of measures to greatly enhance the battle-effectiveness of Indian warships, and rationalised their combat manning. Later, as the Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area, he implemented significant coastal-security initiatives and multiagency coordination mechanisms, which have since ensured safe seas and secure coasts along India’s western seaboard. As a Vice Admiral, he has been the Chief of Staff of the Eastern Naval Command, and, thereafter, took over as the Commandant of the prestigious National Defence College, New Delhi. Upon his appointment as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, the Admiral streamlined the framework for transformation of the Navy’s combat capabilities and infrastructure development. The several tri-Service initiatives that he launched have made a lasting contribution towards integration and jointness.
He assumed command of the Indian Navy, as the 23rd Chief of the Naval Staff, on the 31st of May, 2016. He was appointed Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee on the 31st of December, 2016 and his contribution to tri-Service synergy is legendary. On his retirement he took over as the Chairman of the National Maritime Foundation from Jun 2019 to Jan 2022.
For his exceptional services to the nation, the President of the Republic of India awarded Admiral Lanba the AtiVishistSeva Medal, followed thereafter by the Param VishistSeva Medal. For significant contribution towards enhancing the bilateral defence relation between the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy was awarded The Meritorious Service Medal(Military) by the Republic of Singapore.