New Delhi: Rear Admiral Tarun Sobti, VSM, today took command of the Eastern Fleet called Sword Arm of Eastern Naval Command from Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsyayan, AVSM, NM. The program to take over took place in a spectacular ceremony held on 23 February 2021 at the Naval Base in Visakhapatnam.
Rear Admiral Tarun Sobti was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1988 and is a specialist in shipping and direction. He is an alumnus of the National Defense Academy, Khadakwasla, Collège Interarmées de Défense, Paris, France and the College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai.
During his illustrious career of 32 years, he served as a naval officer of INS Kriparan, a shipping officer of INS Mysore, a direction officer on INS Virat and an executive officer of INS Delhi, a missile destroyer. His maritime commands include missile ship INS Nishank, missile corvette INS Kora and missile destroyer INS Kolkata, in which he was the commissioning command officer.
His distinguished staff and operative appointments include Joint Director Staff Requirements and Joint Director of Personnel at Naval Headquarters and Captain Work Up in Local Work Up Team (East). He also served as a Naval Briefcase at the Indian Embassy in Moscow. Prior to taking over the command of the Eastern Fleet, the Flag Officer was the Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, a training establishment of officers in the Indian Navy.
Over the past 12 months, the Eastern Fleet, under the command of Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsyayan, has maintained a high degree of combat readiness and with a mission to provide humanitarian aid to friendly countries, including Operation Sagar and Malabar 20, towards the repatriation of Indian citizens. Has undertaken various strategic missions. During his tenure, the commissioning of the INS Kavaratti, indigenously built P28 Class ASW Corvette has also been done. He will soon take over as deputy commandant of the prestigious National Defense Academy, a prestigious tri-service institute in Khadakwasla, Pune.