Sameer Saxena (admiral)

Rear Admiral Sameer Saxena NM
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Navy
Years of service	1989 - present
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands held	Western Fleet INS Mysore (D60) INS Kulish (P63) MCGS Guardian
Awards	Nao Sena Medal

Rear Admiral Sameer Saxena, NM is a serving Flag officer in the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet. He earlier served as the Naval adviser to the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom at India House, London.

Early life and education[]

Saxena was born to Commodore MML Saxena, an officer in the Indian Navy. His uncle, Commodore HML Saxena, also was a naval officer. The Saxena brothers, HML and MML, both served on INS Vikrant (R11) as the executive officer and the navigation officer respectively during the Indo-Pak War of 1971.^[1][2]

He joined and graduated from the National Defence Academy, Pune. He also attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island.^[3]

Naval career[]

Saxena was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1989. He is a specialist in navigation and direction. He served in the direction team of the aircraft carrier INS Viraat (R22). He also served as the navigation officer of the Khukri-class corvette INS Kuthar (P46), the lead ship of her class of guided missile frigates INS Godavari (F20) and the lead ship of her class of guided missile destroyers INS Delhi (D61).^[4]

In his staff appointments, Saxena has served in the Directorate of personnel and as the Naval Assistant (NA) to the Chief of the Naval Staff. He also served as the Principal Director of Foreign Cooperation at NHQ. He also served in training appointments at his alma mater, the National Defence Academy, and the Centre for Leadership and Behavioural Studies.^[5]

Saxena has commanded the Seaward-class defense boat of the Mauritius Coast Guard MCGS Guardian. He subsequently commanded the Kora-class corvette INS Kulish (P63). He then served as the executive officer of the Delhi-class destroyer INS Mumbai (D62) and commanded another ship of the same class of guided missile destroyer INS Mysore (D60).

In March 2016, as a Commodore, he was appointed the Naval advisor to the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom at the High Commission of India, London. The High Commissioners during his tenure were Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha and Ruchi Ghanashyam.^[6][7] On 26 January 2017, he was awarded the Nau Sena Medal for devotion to duty.^[8]

Flag rank[]

Saxena was promoted to flag rank in February 2020 and was appointed Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) (ACNS P&P) at naval headquarters. He took command of the Western Fleet on 27 December 2021 as the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet from Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar.^[3]

Awards and decorations[]

Bibliography[]

• Hiranandani, G.M. (2000), Transition to triumph: History of the Indian Navy 1965-75, Lancer Publishers, ISBN 978-1897829721

See also[]

• Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet
• Western Fleet

References[]