Commodore Kartik Murthy, VSM, formally took over the command of INS Circars, the Base Depot Ship of the Eastern Naval Command, from Commodore Happy Mohan, VSM, on December 22, 2025.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 1, 1998, Commodore Kartik Murthy is a Gunnery and Missile Specialist with nearly three decades of distinguished service. Over the course of his career, he has held a wide range of staff and instructional appointments, contributing significantly to operational preparedness and professional military education.
The officer has had the privilege of commanding multiple frontline and auxiliary warships, including INS T-80, INS Vipul, INS Kuthar, and INS Satpura, reflecting his extensive sea command experience. His key shore-based appointments include tenures at Naval Headquarters and the National Security Council Secretariat, where he was involved in higher defence planning and national security matters.
Adding an important diplomatic dimension to his career, Commodore Kartik Murthy also served as the Defence Attaché at the Embassy of India in Jakarta, Indonesia, strengthening defence cooperation and naval diplomacy between the two maritime nations.
An accomplished professional military educationist, he is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Indonesian Naval Staff and Command College, Naval War College, Goa, and the National Defence College. In recognition of his distinguished service of a high order, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2023.
The change-of-command ceremony was conducted with customary naval decorum, marking a smooth leadership transition at one of the Eastern Naval Command’s key logistics and support establishments. INS Circars plays a vital role in sustaining fleet operations by providing administrative, logistical, and depot-level support to naval units operating along the eastern seaboard.
On assuming command, Commodore Kartik Murthy reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the highest traditions of the Indian Navy and further enhancing INS Circars’ role in supporting frontline units, underscoring the Navy’s continued emphasis on operational readiness, leadership continuity, and institutional excellence.
