The Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS) is a senior appointment in the Indian Navy.

The DCNS is a PSO (Principal Staff Officer) at Naval Headquarters in New Delhi.

At the time of independence of India on 15 August 1947, the Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy was the de facto Second-in-command.

[4] In 1967, this post was re-designated to Vice Chief of the Naval Staff and then Rear Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli took over as the first VCNS.

The appointment of Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (ACNS) was redesignated DCNS.