Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area (FOK) is a senior appointment in the Indian Navy. One of the five Area Commanders of the Indian Navy, the FOK is a two star admiral holding the rank of Rear Admiral. The FOK is responsible for the operations and administration of all units and establishments in Karnataka, including the Naval Base Karwar. The Current FOK is Rear Admiral Vikram Menon, VSM, who assumed office on 21 August 2025.

History In 1999, following Pokhran-II, then Defence Minister George Fernandes approved Project Seabird to pursue the construction of the new naval base at Karwar in the state of Karnataka. The first phase of construction of the base was completed in 2005 and the base was commissioned on 31 May 2005.

Headquarters Karnataka Naval Area (HQKNA) thus came into being on 31 May 2005. Commodore K. P. Ramachandran, VSM was appointed the first Commodore-in-Charge Karwar (COMINKAR). The COMINKAR also discharged the duties of Naval Officer-in-Charge Karnataka (NOIC (KTK)) and Commanding Officer INS Kadamba. After three incumbents serving as COMINKAR, the billet was upgraded to two-star rank and rechristened Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area (FOK) in 2011. Rear Admiral Atul Kumar Jain was the first FOK who took over on 3 October 2011.

Organisation The FOK is assisted by the NOIC (KTK), a one-star appointment. The NOIC (KTK) also serves as the chief staff officer at Headquarters Karnataka Naval Area (HQKNA). The FOK is responsible to the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command for the operations and administration of all units and establishments in Karnataka. This includes all ships and submarines based at the Karwar Naval Base as well. The establishments under the FOK include: The Naval Base Karwar INS Kadamba The naval hospital INHS Patanjali The missile and ammunition base INS Vajrakosh Naval Ship Repair Yard (NSRY) Karwar Sagar Prahari Bal, Karwar

List of Commanders S.No. Name Assumed office Left office NotesCommodore-in-Charge Karwar (COMINKAR)1Commodore K. P. Ramachandran 31 May 200526 April 2007First COMINKAR.2Commodore C. G. Silar Khan 27 April 200731 August 20093Commodore Rajiv Jaswal1 September 20093 October 2011Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area (FOK)4Rear Admiral Atul Kumar Jain 3 October 20118 August 2013First FOK. Later Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command and Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.5Rear Admiral C. S. Murthy 10 August 201326 March 20156Rear Admiral Satishkumar Namdeo Ghormade 27 March 201518 October 2015 Later Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.7Rear Admiral Ravindra Jayant Nadkarni 19 October 2015 11 October 2016Later Flag Officer Defence Advisory Group.8Rear Admiral K. J. Kumar 11 October 201629 March 2019Later Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area.9Rear Admiral Mahesh Singh 30 March 201919 December 2021Later Flag Officer Defence Advisory Group.10Rear Admiral Atul Anand 20 December 202130 March 2023Current Additional Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs.11Rear Admiral K. M. Ramakrishnan 1 April 202320 August 202512Rear Admiral Vikram Menon 21 August 2025PresentCurrent FOK.

See also INS Kadamba

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