Susheel Menon

Rear Admiral Susheel Menon, VSM is a serving Flag officer in the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Flag Officer Sea Training. He earlier commanded the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya from 2021 to 2023.

Naval career
Menon was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1992. He is a specialist in Gunnery and was adjudged the Best All Round Officer at the Gunnery School INS Dronacharya. He spent his early years on board the Pondicherry-class minesweeper INS Kakinada as the Gunnery Officer and was part of the commissioning crew of Magar-class amphibious warfare vessel INS Gharial. He then commanded the Astravahini-class torpedo recovery vessel IN TRV-71. After his gunnery specialisation, Menon served as the as Gunnery Officer of the Rajput-class destroyer INS Ranvijay and the Talwar-class frigate INS Talwar as commissioning crew.

In 2006, Menon attended the staff course at the Naval Command and Staff College, Jakarta in Indonesia. After the course, he was appointed Fleet Gunnery Officer of the Western Fleet. He then moved to Naval headquarters and served as a Joint Director in the Personnel branch. In 2010, he took over as the executive officer of the Delhi-class guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai.

In 2011, Menon was appointed commanding officer of the Khukri-class corvette INS Kirpan. After about eighteen months in command of Kirpan, he attended the Higher Command Course at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island in the USA. After completing the course, he returned to India and was appointed Directing staff at the Naval War College, Goa. He subsequently was appointed Naval assistant to the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.

Menon took over as the commanding officer of the lead ship of her-class of guided-missile destroyers INS Kolkata. For his command of Kolkata, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 2019. In the rank of Commodore, he served as Commodore (Operations) at HQ Eastern Naval Command and as Commodore (Strategy, Concepts and Transformation) at Naval headquarters. In December 2021, Menon took over as the 7th commanding officer of the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

Flag rank
Menon was promoted to flag rank in May 2023 and was appointed Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) at Kochi. As FOST, his charter included the conduct of the operational sea training of all ships of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.