Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, AVSM, NM has formally assumed charge as the Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition (CWP&A) on 28 November 2025, marking a major appointment in the Indian Navy’s warship development and modernisation structure.
Commissioned into the Navy in 1987, Vice Admiral Sadhu brings with him over 38 years of distinguished service, backed by a strong academic foundation with a Post Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MPhil in Defence and Strategic Studies. Throughout his illustrious career, he has held a wide range of critical operational, staff, technical, and shipyard appointments.
He has served aboard the legendary aircraft carrier INS Viraat in multiple roles, and on frontline frigates INS Brahmaputra and INS Dunagiri. Prior to his promotion to Flag Rank, he handled several key responsibilities including Additional General Manager (Production) at Naval Dockyard Mumbai, Commodore Superintendent at Naval Ship Repair Yard Karwar, and Principal Director Marine Engineering at Naval Headquarters.
Vice Admiral Sadhu also played an integral role in the acquisition and modernisation of INS Vikramaditya, serving in crucial positions such as Senior Naval Engineer Overseer at the Warship Overseeing Team in Severodvinsk, Russia, as well as Director and Principal Director Aircraft Carrier Projects at Naval Headquarters.
At the Flag Rank level, he held some of the Navy’s most significant senior technical and design roles—including Additional Director General at the Warship Design Bureau (Submarine Design Group), Chief Staff Officer (Technical) at both Eastern and Western Naval Commands, and Admiral Superintendent Dockyard at Visakhapatnam. Notably, he is among the few officers to have headed major dockyards on both coasts.
Before taking over as CWP&A, he served as Programme Director of the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) Programme, overseeing key aspects of India’s strategic submarine development.
He succeeds Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, AVSM, NM, who superannuates on 30 November 2025 after an illustrious 38-year career during which eight warships were commissioned into the Indian Navy.
Vice Admiral Sadhu’s appointment is expected to further accelerate the Navy’s indigenisation drive, strengthen warship production, and support ongoing acquisition programmes critical to India’s maritime capability.
