Manish Chadha

Vice Admiral Manish Chadha, AVSM, VSM is a serving flag officer in the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Director General Naval Operations. He earlier served as the Commandant of Indian Naval Academy, as the Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area, as the Flag Officer Commanding Gujarat Naval Area and as the Naval attaché to the Ambassador of India to Russia at the Embassy of India in Moscow.

Naval career Chadha attended the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1991. He specialized in Communication and Electronic Warfare. He attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and completed the Higher Command Course from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.

In his staff appointments, Chadha has served in the Directorate of Naval Signals as the Director Project Amber (VLF) and Rukmani (naval communication satellite). He later served as Director of the International Fleet Review 2016, a President's fleet review held in Visakhapatnam at an International level. In the rank of Commodore, he served as the Naval attaché to the Ambassador of India to Russia at the Embassy of India in Moscow.

Flag rank Chadha was promoted to flag rank on 6 December 2021 and was appointed the fifth Flag Officer Commanding Gujarat Naval Area (FOGNA). As FOGNA, he was responsible for the operations and administration of all units and establishments in Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. After a year-long tenure, Chadha relinquished charge, handing over to Rear Admiral Sameer Saxena on 29 November 2022. He then moved to Naval headquarters as the Assistant Chief of Personnel (Administration and Civilian). The ACOP is an assistant principal staff officer position at NHQ.

On 10 November 2023, Chadha took over as the Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area from Rear Admiral A. N. Pramod at INS Kunjali. On 3 August 2026, he assumed charge as the Director General Naval Operations from Vice Admiral A. N. Pramod.

Awards and decorations Chadha was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025.