Vice Admiral B Sivakumar, Chief of Materiel of Indian Navy.
Vice Admiral B Sivakumar.
Vice Admiral B Sivakumar, AVSM, VSM, assumed charge as the 40th Chief of Materiel on November 1, 2025. Commissioned as an Electrical Officer in 1987, he is an alumnus of the 70th Course, National Defence Academy, and holds master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from IIT Chennai and higher defense management credentials.
With over 38 years of exemplary service, Vice Admiral Sivakumar has held numerous key appointments involving technical administration, project management, and leadership roles at Naval Dockyards on both coasts, Naval Headquarters, and commands. He commanded frontline naval ships like INS Ranjit, Kirpan, and Akshay, and led the premier electrical training base INS Valsura.
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As a Flag Officer, he has served as Additional Director General (Tech) Project Seabird, Chief Staff Officer (Tech) at Western Naval Command, and Superintendent of Naval Dockyard Mumbai. His recent roles include Programme Director at HQ ATVP, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition, and Director General of Naval Projects at Visakhapatnam.
His awards include the Vishisht Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for his distinguished service.
He succeeds Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, AVSM, VSM, recognised for technical leadership and ensuring fleet readiness during prolonged operations including Operation Sindoor.
Vice Admiral Sivakumar’s appointment marks a continuation of strong technical stewardship critical for maintaining and advancing the Indian Navy’s combat capability.
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