Rear Admiral Vishal Bishnoi is a serving Flag officer in the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet. He earlier commanded the aircraft carrier .
Naval career Bishnoi attended the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1994. He trained as a naval aviator and joined the INAS 300 (White Tigers) as a fighter pilot. In May 1999, as a Lieutenant, while on an attachment with the Indian Air Force, Bishnoi was flying a MiG-21 U aircraft which caught fire. He ejected from the burning aircraft and landed safely in the grounds of a college.
Bishnoi's first command was the Magar-class amphibious warfare vessel . He attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He also commanded his squadron, the INAS 300 White Tigers, in the rank of Commander.
As a Captain, Bishnoi commanded the Talwar-class stealth guided missile frigate . The ship took part in the inaugural edition of the Bilateral Maritime Exercise Za’ir-Al-Bahr (Roar of the Sea) in November 2019. He also attended the Higher Air Command Course at the College of Air Warfare, Secunderabad. Promoted to the rank of Commodore, he took command of the naval air station INS Dega in Visakhapatnam. After around two years in command of Dega, Bishnoi was appointed Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier . He took command of the carrier from Captain Susheel Menon on 6 May 2023.
Flag rank Bishnoi was promoted to flag rank and appointed Assistant Controller Carrier Projects (ACCP) and Assistant Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition (ACWP&A). On 24 July 2026, he took command of the Eastern Fleet as the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet from Rear Admiral Alok Ananda.
Awards and decorations
Samanya Seva MedalSpecial Service MedalOperation Parakram MedalSainya Seva Medal75th Independence Anniversary Medal50th Independence Anniversary Medal30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service Medal
References