Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia takes charge as IAF vice chief

NEW DELHI: Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia on Sunday assumed the appointment of Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force. He took over from Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who now has assumed charge as 29th IAF chief.On Sunday, he paid homage at the National War Memorial and was presented a ceremonial Guard of Honour.He was earlier Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Air Command. In a career spanning almost four decades, the Air Officer 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 is qualified on all variants of MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, Jaguar and Su-30 MKI.He had undergone Advanced Command & Staff Course in the UK and NDC in Bangladesh, headed Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI) of the IAF, served as a defence attache at the Embassy of Japan and South Korea, and was the Senior Air Staff Officer of Eastern Air Command.Walia is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in the fighter stream of the IAF on June 11, 1988. He is an avid reader and holds three postgraduate degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies. In recognition of distinguished service, he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (VM) in 2008 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2018.