Rear Admiral Vidhyadhar Harke Takes Charge as Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area

MUMBAI July 31— Rear Admiral Vidhyadhar Harke officially assumed command as the Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area from Rear Admiral Shantanu Jha on July 31, 2026.

Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1993, Rear Admiral Harke is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, and the Indian Naval War College in Goa. Over his career, he has held numerous critical afloat and shore appointments, including the command of the Landing Platform Dock INS Jalashwa and the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

Prior to taking over his current role, he served as the Chief Staff Officer (Operations) at the Western Naval Command in Mumbai and as the Flag Officer Sea Training at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi.