Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai, NM (Retd.), is a former naval aviator who served as Flag Officer Naval Aviation, Chief of Staff at the integrated HQ Andaman and Nicobar Command, and Chief Instructor (Navy) at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He commanded the naval air station INS Garuda, the guided missile destroyers INS Mysore and INS Ranjit, the frigate INS Udaygiri, the Marine Commando Flight, and the Coast Guard IPV CGS Gangadevi. He has also held key staff appointments at Naval Headquarters and HQ Naval Aviation. His academic interests centre on strategic and military/maritime operational-level issues, with a particular focus on jointness and Professional Military Education; two critical areas that have yet to be coherently integrated into India’s military reform agenda.