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.

In 1949, the Chief of Staff was also made Deputy Commander-in-Chief RIN.

[1] In 1955, the post was re-designated Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff.

[4] On 12 December 1967, Nilakanta Krishnan succeeded Kohli as VCNS, with the office being raised to the three-star rank of Vice-Admiral in March 1969.

[8] The following table chronicles the appointees to the office of the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.