New Delhi, October 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia has been appointed the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF), with effect from November 1. He will succeed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who is set to assume charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on October 31.
Air Marshal Walia is currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command. An experienced fighter pilot with more than 3,200 hours of flying, he brings nearly four decades of service and extensive operational, command and staff experience to the appointment.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Walia was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on June 11, 1988. During his career, he has flown several frontline aircraft, including the MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, Jaguar and Su-30MKI.
His command assignments include leading a frontline MiG-27 squadron, the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) and Air Force Station Bareilly. He has also served as Director of Air Staff Inspection and Senior Air Staff Officer at the Eastern Air Command.
Walia’s international assignments include serving as Defence Attaché at Indian diplomatic missions in Japan and South Korea. His professional training includes the Advanced Command and Staff Course in the United Kingdom and the National Defence College course in Bangladesh.
He holds three postgraduate degrees in defence and strategic studies. In recognition of his service, he received the Vayu Sena Medal (VM) in 2008 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2018.
The appointment is part of a major leadership transition in the IAF. Air Marshal Dixit will take over from incumbent Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, who is retiring after 42 years of service. Walia will assume the Vice Chief’s post a day later.
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