NEW DELHI: Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan has been appointed the next Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, which is one of the country’s most strategically important naval commands, headquartered in Mumbai. Currently serving as Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Vatsayan will succeed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, who was on Saturday appointed the next Navy chief and will take charge soon.The Western Naval Command (WNC) is strategically important for India as it defends the Arabian Sea, protects key energy routes and secures the country’s western maritime boundary. The command guards major offshore assets and facilitates maritime stability, with Mumbai and Karwar serving as key operational hubs. It maintains constant alertness against threats originating in the North Arabian Sea, particularly for defence against Pakistan. It protects India’s vital offshore oil fields, pipelines and shipping routes in the Arabian Sea. Currently, the security of all India-flagged cargo vessels coming from the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman to the Arabian Sea comes under its command.Vice Admiral Vatsayan, who joined the Navy in 1988 and trained as a specialist officer in gunnery and missile systems, has held a wide range of command, operational and staff assignments over his distinguished naval career spanning over three decades. In Feb 2020, he took over as the flag officer commanding the Eastern Fleet, and led numerous operational deployments and exercises during a time of heightened maritime activity, post events at Galwan, according to the Navy. At sea, the Flag Officer has served onboard various frontline warships, including as the commissioning crew of the guided missile destroyer INS Mysore, INS Nishank and pre-commissioning crew of Coast Guard OPV ICGS Sangram. He also served as the Executive Officer of INS Mysore. He has commanded Coast Guard ship C-05, Missile Vessels INS Vibhuti and INS Nashak, Missile corvette INS Kuthar and guided missile frigate INS Sahyadri.Prior to taking over as the vice chief of naval staff, Vice Admiral Vatsayan served as deputy chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (DCIDS) — operations and thereafter as DCIDS (Policy, Plans and Force Development) at HQ IDS, where he played a key role in coordination of operations, enhancing integration, jointness, force development and framing policies promoting indigenisation in the three services. For his distinguished service and exemplary leadership, he has been conferred with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, and the Nao Sena Medal.