Senior Indian Air Force officer to assume charge on November 1, 2026, succeeding Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit
New Delhi, October 30, 2026: Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia, AVSM, VM, has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF), with effect from November 1, 2026. He is currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Walia was commissioned into the Fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on June 11, 1988. During his career, spanning nearly four decades, he has flown several fighter aircraft, including all variants of the MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, Jaguar and Su-30 MKI.
He has held several important command and staff appointments during his service. These include command of a frontline fighter squadron, the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) and Air Force Station Bareilly, where he served as Air Officer Commanding.
Air Marshal Walia has also undergone the Advanced Command and Staff Course in the United Kingdom and the National Defence College (NDC) course in Bangladesh.
His other key assignments include heading the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI) of the Indian Air Force, serving as Defence Attaché at the Embassy of India in Japan and South Korea, and working as the Senior Air Staff Officer of Eastern Air Command.
An avid reader, Air Marshal Walia holds three postgraduate degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies.
In recognition of his distinguished service, he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (VM) in 2008 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2018.
Air Marshal Walia will succeed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as Vice Chief of the Air Staff. Air Marshal Dixit is scheduled to take over as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on October 31, 2026.
Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India
