Mumbai, May 30: Vice Admiral Ajay Kocher has been appointed as the 48th Vice Chief of the Indian Navy, effective from May 29. With a specialization in gunnery and missile systems, Vice Admiral Kocher was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1988. He has previously served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command and has held significant positions such as Commandant of the National Defence Academy and Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command. Notably, he was the commissioning commanding officer of the stealth frigate INS Trikand in 2013 and took command of the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya in 2017. His appointment is based on seniority and merit, as confirmed by the Ministry of Defence.