Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia will take over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) on November 1, succeeding Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who assumes charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) on October 31.
Currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal Walia brings nearly four decades of experience in fighter operations, command and staff assignments to his new position.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on June 11, 1988. He has flown several frontline combat aircraft, including various variants of the MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, Jaguar and Su-30MKI.
During his career, Walia has commanded a frontline fighter squadron, the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) and Air Force Station Bareilly. He has also headed the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI) and served as Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command.
His other key assignments include serving as Defence Attaché at the Indian Embassy in Japan and South Korea. He has attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course in the United Kingdom and the National Defence College in Bangladesh.
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 in 2008 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2018.
Team BharatShakti
