Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia named next IAF vice chief

Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia will be the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff, the defence ministry announced on Friday.

He will succeed incumbent Vice Chief Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who will take charge as as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on Saturday.

Air Marshal Walia is currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command.

The officer is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on June 11, 1988.

He is qualified on all variants of the MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, Jaguar and Su-30 MKI jets.

In a career spanning almost four decades, Air Marshal Walia has tenanted various command and staff appointments.

He has commanded a frontline fighter squadron, the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) and was Air Officer Commanding of Air Force Station Bareilly.

He has undergone the advanced command and staff course in the UK.

Air Marshal Walia also headed the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI) of the IAF, served as the defence attache at Indian embassies in Japan and South Korea, and was the Senior Air Staff Officer of Eastern Air Command.

He holds three Post-Graduate degrees in Defence and Strategic studies.

In recognition of his distinguished service, he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 2008 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2018.