Vidhyadhar Harke

Rear Admiral

Vidhyadhar Harker

VSM
Allegiance India
Branch
 Indian Navy
Service years
1993 – present
Rank
 Rear Admiral
CommandsMaharashtra Naval Area
INS Vikrant (R11)
INS Jalashwa (L41)

Rear Admiral Vidhyadhar Harke, VSM is a serving Flag officer in the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area. He was the commissioning commanding officer of India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant (R11).

Early life and education

Harke was born in Bhingar, in Ahilyanagar district. The family moved to Pune after his father's death. After his schooling, he joined the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla.[1]

Harke was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1993. He specialised in Anti-Submarine Warfare. He attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He also served in the Directorate of Staff Requirements at Naval headquarters. [2]

As a Captain, Harke attended the Naval Higher Command Course at the Naval War College, Goa. In the same rank, he commanded the Navy's only Amphibious transport dock, INS Jalashwa (L41). Promoted to the rank of Commodore, Harke was appointed Fleet Operations Officer of the Eastern Fleet.

In 2021, Harke was appointed the Commanding Officer (Designate) of India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant (R11). He led the ship through her maiden sea trials in August that year, followed by four phases of sea trials.[3] In July 2022, he took delivery of the aircraft carrier on behalf of the Navy from the shipbuilder, Cochin Shipyard Limited.[4][5]

On 2 September 2022, Harke commissioned INS Vikrant (R11) in the presence of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kochi. With this, India joined a select group of nations having the capability to indigenously design and build an aircraft carrier.[6] Later that year, Harke worked up the ship, undertaking extensive air operations with rotary and fixed wing aircraft. The first landings of LCA (Navy) and MiG-29K aircraft took place in February 2023 while the night landing operations were conducted in May.[7]

Flag rank

Harke was promoted to flag rank in January 2024 and was appointed Chief Staff Officer (Operations) of the Western Naval Command. He served in this appointment during Operation Sindoor and oversaw multiple operational deployments and missions.[8][9] On 22 November 2025, he took over as the 27th Flag Officer Sea Training, from Rear Admiral Srinivas Maddula. The FOST functions under the operational and administrative jurisdiction of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command. As FOST, his charter included the conduct of the operational sea training of all ships and submarines of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. It includes enhancing crew proficiency in all aspects, including safe navigation practices, damage control and firefighting drills, weapon firings as well as seamanship training.[10][11]

After a short stint as FOST, Harke was appointed Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area (FOMA). He took over from Rear Admiral Shantanu Jha on 31 July 2026.[12]

Awards and decorations

Harke was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022.

Vishisht Seva Medal Samanya Seva Medal Sainya Seva Medal 75th Independence Anniversary Medal
50th Independence Anniversary Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

References

  1. ↑ "मराठी माणसासाठी अभिमानास्पद! 'INS विक्रांत'ची कमान कमोडोर विद्याधर हारके यांच्या हाती". Maharashtra Times (in Marathi). Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Rear Admiral V Harke assumed the duties of CSO(Ops) at Headquarters, WNC". indiannavy.gov.in. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Welcome to Cochin Shipyard : ISO 9001 Certified - The biggest greenfield Shipyard of the Millenium". cochinshipyard.in. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "Navy takes delivery of aircraft carrier". The Hindu. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Vikrant brings in unmatched capability, will be deterrence for any misadventure: Commodore Vidhyadhar Harke". ThePrint. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "PM commissions the first indigenous aircraft carrier as INS Vikrant". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "INS Vikrant: India's First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier and a Landmark in Naval Capability". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "CMDE BEN ALDOUS, COMMANDER, UK MARITIME COMPONENT COMMAND, ALONG WITH COL SIMON WESTLAKE, RESIDENT DA UK, CALLED ON RADM VIDHYADHAR HARKE, CSO (OPS) WNC". indiannavy.gov.in. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "British High Commission in New Delhi, Interacted with Radm Vidyadhar Harke, CSO (OPS), HQWNC on 26 Sep". indiannavy.gov.in. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Southern Naval Command". x.com. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "REAR ADMIRAL VIDHYADHAR HARKE TOOK OVER AS THE 27TH FLAG OFFICER SEA TRAINING (FOST)". indiannavy.gov.in. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Western Naval Command". x.com. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
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