Vice Admiral Atul Anand

Vice Admiral Atul Anand took over as Additional Secretary, Department of Military Affairs on July 3, 2023. The post was previously held by Lt General Anil Puri, who superannuated on February 28, 2023.

Vice Admiral Atul Anand was commissioned into the executive branch of the Indian Navy on January 1, 1988. He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy (71st Course, Delta Squadron); Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur (Bangladesh) and National Defence College, New Delhi. He has also attended the Advanced Security Cooperation course at Asia Pacific Centre of Security Studies, Hawaii, USA.

A recipient of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), Vice Admiral Atul Anand has held several key appointments in his career, including the command of Torpedo Recovery Vessel INTRV A72; missile boat INS Chatak; corvette INS Khukri and the destroyer INS Mumbai. He also served as the Navigating Officer of IN ships Sharda, Ranvijay & Jyoti and was the Direction Officer of the Sea Harrier squadron INAS 300 and the Executive Officer of the destroyer INS Delhi. His important staff appointments include Joint Director, Staff Requirements; Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; Director, Naval Operations and Director, Naval Intelligence (Ops).

He has also served as Principal Director, Naval Operations and Principal Director, Strategy, Concepts and Transformation at Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy). As a Flag Officer, he has served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign, Cooperation and Intelligence); Deputy Commandant & Chief Instructor at National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla; Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval area; Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval area and Director General Naval Operations.