▁ ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁Flag ▁rank ▁of ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff , ▁Southern ▁Naval ▁Command . ▁Next , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Ass istant ▁Controller , ▁A ircraft ▁Car rier ▁Project s ▁at ▁Naval ▁Head quarters ▁( N H Q ). ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Flag ▁Officer ▁Command ing ▁Western ▁Fle et ▁( FO C WF ). ▁ ▁After ▁being ▁promoted ▁to ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Deput y ▁Chief ▁of ▁Integr ated ▁Def ence ▁Staff ▁( Oper ations ). ▁He ▁then ▁led ▁Do ctrine ▁Organ ization ▁and ▁Training , ▁Integr ated ▁Def ence ▁Staff ▁( ID S ) ▁at ▁Def ence ▁Head quarters ▁( D H Q ). ▁ ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁Sh ank ar ▁has ▁had ▁the ▁distinction ▁of ▁command ing ▁both ▁the ▁joint - services ▁commands ▁of ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ar med ▁Forces . ▁He ▁took ▁over ▁as ▁the ▁Commander - in - Ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁Str ateg ic ▁Forces ▁Command ▁( S FC ) ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁C IN C AN ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁His ▁assign ments ▁at ▁sea ▁included ▁special ist ▁ten ures ▁of ▁several ▁fleet ▁units ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁commission ing ▁cre ws ▁of ▁ ▁in ▁Poland ▁and ▁of ▁ ▁in