Sri Vijaya Puram: Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty, AVSM, on Monday assumed charge as the 20th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC), India’s only tri-service operational command.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1989, Vice Admiral McCarty is a specialist in Gunnery and Missiles and brings more than 36 years of experience spanning operational, staff, training and tri-service appointments. He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the National Defence College, New Delhi.
During his naval career, he served as a member of the commissioning crew of INS Delhi and held all specialist appointments aboard the frontline destroyer. He later commanded INS Ajay, INS Khanjar and INS Shivalik.
His key assignments have included Training Commander at the Indian Naval Academy, Command Plans Officer at Headquarters Eastern Naval Command and Commodore Naval Plans at Naval Headquarters. Following his promotion to Flag Rank in 2020, he served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Staff Requirements), Controller of Personnel Services and Flag Officer Commanding the Western Fleet in 2023. He also served as the tenth Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy in 2024.
Before assuming command of ANC, Vice Admiral McCarty held consecutive appointments at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Policy, Plans and Force Development) and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Doctrine, Organisation and Training) during 2025-26.
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His overseas assignments include service as Directing Staff at the Naval and Maritime Academy in Sri Lanka and as Defence Advisor to Singapore and the Philippines from 2011 to 2015.
After taking charge, Vice Admiral McCarty underscored the strategic importance of the Andaman & Nicobar Command in safeguarding India’s maritime interests and maintaining stability and security in the Indian Ocean Region. He reiterated his commitment to enhancing operational preparedness, strengthening jointness among the armed forces and further reinforcing ANC’s role in India’s Indo-Pacific security architecture.
