Vice Admiral AB Singh is COS Western Naval Command

On 12 January 2018, India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C40 made its forty-second flight, launching the 710 kg Cartosat-2 Series Satellite for earth observation plus 30 co-passenger satellites, together weighing about 613 kg at lift-off, from SHAR Sriharikota. The other satellites comprise one Microsatellite and one Nanosatellite from India as well as three Microsatellites and 25 Nanosatellites from six countries, namely Canada, Finland, France, Republic of Korea, UK and USA. The total weight of all the 31 satellites carried onboard PSLV-C40 was about 1323 kg. The 28 international satellites were launched as part of the commercial arrangements between the Antrix Corporation Limited (Antrix), a Government of India company under Department of Space (DOS), the commercial arm of ISRO and the international customers.

Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh ( on the right in the picture) took over as Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command from Vice Admiral Ravneet Singh on 15 January 2018. Vice Admiral AB Singh was the Deputy Commanderin-Chief, Strategic Forces Command prior to his current appointment. The Flag Officer has commanded IN Ships Veer ( missile vessel), Vindhyagiri ( frigate), Trishul ( guided missile frigate) and Viraat ( aircraft carrier). He has also been an instructor at NDA, Khadakwasla, Navigation and Direction School, Kochi and Directing Staff at DSSC Wellington. Vice Admiral AB Singh has served at Naval Headquarters as Deputy Director and Principal Director at the Directorate of Naval Plans.

Rajinder Khanna is deputy NSA

Rajinder Khanna, formerly head of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was appointed deputy National Security Adviser (NSA) on 2 January 2018. He was earlier officer on special duty (Neighbourhood Studies) in the National Security Council Secretariat, which prepares policy papers of neighbouring countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Dr Vivek Lall joins Lockheed Martin

Dr Vivek Lall, who has an enviable record of working with major US defence and aerospace companies, has recently joined Lockheed Martin as vice president, strategy and business development. Earlier, Dr Lall was with General Atomics and played a key role in the negotiation for selling Guardian UAVs to the government of India. He was also CEO and President of Reliance New Ventures, before which he headed Boeing’s Defence and Space operations in India from 2007 till April 2011.