Port Blair, July 4: Rear Admiral Biplab Hota, VSM assumed the role of Chief of Staff (COS), Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) on 01 Jul 2024 from Rear Admiral Sandeep S Sandhu, NM.

Rear Admiral Biplab Hota was commissioned into the Navy’s fighter stream. He has extensive accident-free flying hours on 23 types of aircraft. A distinguished test pilot, he was the induction crew of MiG 29K and subsequently commanded INAS 303.  He has flown from aircraft carriers INS Viraat, INS Vikramaditya, INS Vikrant and commanded INS Savitri and INS Teg.

He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2018 for operationalizing MiG 29K on Vikramaditya. Subsequently he tested MiG 29K and achieved initial operational clearance of the aircraft on newly inducted carrier INS Vikrant.

Being a Naval Officer, son of an Army Officer and having spent four years with the IAF, he will bolster joint operations in ANC.