# Suraj Berry
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{{short description|Officer in the Indian Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [Vice Admiral](/source/Vice_admiral_(India))
| name = Suraj Berry
| honorific_suffix = [PVSM](/source/PVSM), [AVSM](/source/AVSM), [NM](/source/Nao_Sena_Medal), [VSM](/source/Vishisht_Seva_Medal)
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| image = File:VAdm Suraj Berry.jpg
| image_size = 200px
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| allegiance = {{IND}}
| branch = {{navy|India}}
| service_years = 01 January 1987 – 30 September 2025
| rank = 20px 20px [Vice Admiral](/source/Vice_Admiral_(India))
| service_number = 03101Y[{{Cite web |date=25 January 2025 |title=President approves Gallantry awards to 93 Armed Forces personnel, including 12 posthumous & 305 defence decorations on the eve of Republic Day 2025 |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2096200 |access-date=9 September 2025 |website=[Press Information Bureau](/source/Press_Information_Bureau)}}]
| unit =
| commands = {{plainlist |
* [INS Nirbhik](/source/INS_Nirbhik_(K41))
* [INS Karmuk](/source/INS_Karmuk_(P64))
* [INS Talwar](/source/INS_Talwar_(F40))
* [INS Vikramaditya](/source/INS_Vikramaditya)
* [Eastern Fleet](/source/Eastern_Fleet_(India))
* [Strategic Forces Command](/source/Strategic_Forces_Command)
}}
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| awards = {{plainlist |
*20px [Ati Vishisht Seva Medal](/source/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medal)
*20px [Nao Sena Medal](/source/Nao_Sena_Medal)
*20px [Vishisht Seva Medal](/source/Vishisht_Seva_Medal)
}}
| alma_mater = [Indian Naval Academy](/source/Indian_Naval_Academy)
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}}
Vice Admiral '''Suraj Berry''', [PVSM](/source/PVSM), [AVSM](/source/AVSM), [NM](/source/Nao_Sena_Medal), [VSM](/source/Vishisht_Seva_Medal) is a former Flag officer in the [Indian Navy](/source/Indian_Navy). He last served as the [Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command](/source/Commander-in-Chief%2C_Strategic_Forces_Command). He previously served as the [Chief of Personnel](/source/Chief_of_Personnel_(Indian_Navy)), as the [Controller of Personnel Services](/source/Controller_of_Personnel_Services) and as Chief of Staff of the [Andaman and Nicobar Command](/source/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Command). He has also commanded the [Eastern Fleet](/source/Eastern_Fleet_(India)) and was the [Commissioning](/source/Ship_commissioning) [Commanding Officer](/source/Commanding_Officer) of the [aircraft carrier](/source/aircraft_carrier) [INS Vikramaditya](/source/INS_Vikramaditya).[{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/rear-admiral-suraj-berry-assumes-charge-flag-officer-commanding-eastern-fleet|title=Rear Admiral Suraj Berry Assumes Charge as the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet {{!}} Indian Navy|website=www.indiannavy.nic.in|access-date=12 November 2019}}]
== Naval career ==
Berry was commissioned in the [Indian Navy](/source/Indian_Navy) on 1 January 1987. He is a specialist in Gunnery and Missile Warfare.[{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/change-of-guard-in-eastern-fleet/article26690547.ece|title=Change of guard in Eastern Fleet|date=31 March 2019|work=The Hindu|access-date=12 November 2019|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}] He served on board the [Sukanya-class patrol vessel](/source/Sukanya-class_patrol_vessel) {{ship|INS|Subhadra|P51}}, the [Veer-class corvette](/source/Veer-class_corvette) {{ship|INS|Pralaya|K91}}, and the [Rajput-class destroyer](/source/Rajput-class_destroyer)s {{ship|INS|Ranjit|D53}} and {{ship|INS|Ranvir|D54}}, and the [lead ship](/source/lead_ship) of [her class of destroyers](/source/Delhi-class_destroyer) {{ship|INS|Delhi|D61}}.[{{cite press release |title=VICE ADMIRAL SURAJ BERRY ASSUMES CHARGE AS CHIEF OF PERSONNEL OF INDIAN NAVY |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1913021 |website=pib.gov.in |access-date=14 April 2023}}]
He has also served as the [flag lieutenant](/source/flag_lieutenant) to the [Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command](/source/Flag_Officer_Commanding-in-Chief_Western_Naval_Command), as the operations officer of a Mobile Missile Coastal Battery, and as the fleet gunnery officer of the [Western Fleet](/source/Western_Fleet_(India)).[{{Cite web|url=https://www.rbth.com/economics/2013/12/04/commodore_suraj_berrys_finest_hour_31335|title=Commodore Suraj Berry's finest hour|last1=Yemelyanenkov|first1=Alexander|last2=RIR|first2=specially for|date=4 December 2013|website=www.rbth.com|language=en-US|access-date=12 November 2019}}]
Berry has commanded the [Veer-class](/source/Veer-class_corvette) missile vessel {{ship|INS|Nirbhik|K88}}, the [Kora-class](/source/Kora-class_corvette) missile corvette {{ship|INS|Karmuk|P64}} and the [Talwar-class](/source/Talwar-class_frigate) stealth [guided missile frigate](/source/guided_missile_frigate) {{ship|INS|Talwar|F40}}.[{{Cite web|url=http://m.naharnet.com/stories/en/105999-russia-hands-india-long-awaited-aircraft-carrier|title=Russia Hands India Long-Awaited Aircraft Carrier|website=m.naharnet.com|access-date=12 November 2019}}] He served as the [defence advisor](/source/Military_attach%C3%A9) to the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka and Maldives. In the rank of [Captain](/source/Captain_(Indian_Navy)), he also served as a Director at the Directorate of Staff Requirement at Naval Headquarters.[{{Cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/rear-admiral-suraj-berry-takes-over-as-command-of-eastern-fleet-at-visakhapatnam-ceremony-6358601.html|title=Rear Admiral Suraj Berry takes over command of Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam ceremony|date=31 March 2019|agency=Asian News International|website=Firstpost|access-date=19 January 2020}}]
[[File:Capt. S. Berry exchanging the Baton with Capt. K. Swaminathan, on his taking over the Command of INS Vikramaditya, Indian Navy's new and formidable aircraft carrier, at Karwar on November 02, 2015.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Berry (right) hands over command of [INS Vikramaditya](/source/INS_Vikramaditya) to Capt. [Krishna Swaminathan](/source/Krishna_Swaminathan) in 2015.]]
As a [commodore](/source/Commodore_(India)), he served as naval advisor (NA) to the [Chief of Naval Staff](/source/Chief_of_the_Naval_Staff_(India)) [Admiral](/source/Admiral_(India)) [Nirmal Kumar Verma](/source/Nirmal_Kumar_Verma). He then was appointed the [commissioning](/source/ship_commissioning) [commanding officer](/source/commanding_officer) of the [aircraft carrier](/source/aircraft_carrier) {{ship|INS|Vikramaditya|R33}}. As CO, he commissioned ''Vikramaditya'' on 16 November 2013 at [Severodvinsk](/source/Severodvinsk) in Russia and brought her home to [Karwar](/source/Karwar). He then moved to naval headquarters as the Principal Director Strategy, Concepts and Transformation at NHQ.[{{cite web |title=Rear Admiral Suraj Berry Assumes Charge as the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet {{!}} Indian Navy |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/rear-admiral-suraj-berry-assumes-charge-flag-officer-commanding-eastern-fleet |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in}}] For his tenure as the FOCEF, he was awarded the [Ati Vishisht Seva Medal](/source/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medal) on 26 January 2020.[{{cite press release|title=Distinguished service and gallantry award winners on Republic day 2020 |url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=197645 |website=pib.gov.in}}] In February 2020, he moved to Port Blair as the Chief of Staff of the [Andaman and Nicobar Command](/source/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Command).[{{cite web |title=Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan takes over as Eastern Fleet Commander |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1602734 |website=pib.gov.in}}][{{cite web |title=Press Information Bureau |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1706897 |website=www.pib.gov.in}}]
On 2 August 2021, he was promoted to the rank of [Vice Admiral](/source/Vice_Admiral_(India)) and appointed [Controller of Personnel Services](/source/Controller_of_Personnel_Services) (CPS) at NHQ, succeeding Vice Admiral [Sanjay Jasjit Singh](/source/Sanjay_Jasjit_Singh)[{{cite web |title=Controller Personnel Services (CPS) {{!}} Indian Navy |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/node/26602 |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in}}] On 1 April 2023, he was appointed [Chief of Personnel](/source/Chief_of_Personnel_(Indian_Navy)).[{{cite web |title=Controller Personnel Services (CPS) {{!}} Indian Navy |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/node/26602 |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in|date=4 August 2021}}][{{cite web |title=Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh to be new navy vice chief |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/vice-admiral-sanjay-jasjit-singh-takes-over-as-new-vice-chief-of-indian-navy-succeeding-vice-admiral-satishkumar-namdeo-ghormade-specialized-in-navigation-and-direction-held-range-of-command-training-and-staff-appointments-indiannavy-defense-101680362502135.html |website=hindustantimes.com |access-date=1 April 2023}}] After a short stint as COP, he was appointed [Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command](/source/Commander-in-Chief%2C_Strategic_Forces_Command) (C-inC SFC) on 6 October 2023. The SFC is responsible for the management and administration of the country's [tactical](/source/Tactical_nuclear_weapon) and [strategic](/source/Strategic_nuclear_weapon) [nuclear weapon](/source/nuclear_weapon)s stockpile.[{{cite news|title=India all set to set up nuclear forces command|author=Rajat Pandit |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-all-set-to-set-up-nuclear-forces-command/articleshow/32896380.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511032234/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-12-30/india/27320878_1_nuclear-command-sfc-strategic-forces-command|url-status=live|archive-date=11 May 2013|access-date=27 June 2012|newspaper=[The Times of India](/source/The_Times_of_India)|date=30 December 2002}}][{{cite web |author=Rajat Pandit |date=6 October 2023 |title=Vice Admiral Suraj Berry is the new chief of the Strategic Forces Command. |url=https://twitter.com/rajatpTOI/status/1710517411827564547 |website=X (formerly Twitter) |access-date=16 October 2023 |language=en}}] He retired from the Navy on 30 September 2025, after 38 years of service.[{{cite web |title=Indian Navy |url=https://x.com/indiannavy/status/1972956886275395800 |website=x.com |access-date=30 September 2025}}]
== Awards and decorations ==
Berry was awarded the [Vishist Seva Medal](/source/Vishisht_Seva_Medal) in 2006 for services during the tsunami relief operations in Sri Lanka and Maldives. He is also the recipient of the [Nao Sena Medal](/source/Nao_Sena_Medal) in 2015 (awarded for devotion to duty).[{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/suraj-berry-takes-over-the-command-of-eastern-fleet-516733|title=Suraj Berry takes over the Command of Eastern Fleet|agency=Hans News Service|date=30 March 2019|website=www.thehansindia.com|language=en|access-date=12 November 2019}}] He was awarded the [Ati Vishisht Seva Medal](/source/Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medal) in 2020.