New Delhi, October 30, 2026: The Ministry of Defence has named Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia, AVSM, VM, as the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF). He is scheduled to assume the post on November 1, 2026. At present, he serves as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Eastern Air Command.
His appointment follows a major change at the top of the service. Air Marshal Walia will replace Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit in the Vice Chief role, while Air Marshal Dixit is set to become the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on October 31, 2026.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Air Marshal Walia was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on June 11, 1988. His career now spans nearly four decades, during which he has built experience in operations, command and higher-level staff responsibilities.
He is qualified to fly all variants of the MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, Jaguar and Su-30MKI aircraft. This background reflects long service in fighter aviation and in the handling of multiple combat aircraft types across different generations.
Command and staff appointments
Air Marshal Walia has held several key appointments in the service. He has commanded a frontline fighter squadron and the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), an IAF unit involved in air combat tactics and operational training.
He has also served as the Air Officer Commanding of Air Force Station Bareilly, headed the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI) and worked as the Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command.
His overseas assignments include service as Defence Attaché at the Indian Embassy for Japan and South Korea. He also completed the Advanced Command and Staff Course in the United Kingdom and attended the National Defence College in Bangladesh.
Academic background and awards
Air Marshal Walia holds three postgraduate degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies. The source also describes him as an avid reader with a strong academic background.
In recognition of his service, he received the Vayu Sena Medal (VM) in 2008 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2018.
His elevation comes during a leadership transition in the IAF, with Air Marshal Walia moving into one of the service’s senior-most appointments on November 1, 2026.
