Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia, AVSM, VM is a serving air officer of the Indian Air Force. He is currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command. He previously served as the Senior Air Staff Officer, Eastern Air Command.
Early life and education The Air officer is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. He is also an alumnus of the Advanced Command and Staff Course, United Kingdom and the National Defence College, Bangladesh.
Military career He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 11 June 1988 from the Air Force Academy. In a career spanning over three decades, he has more than 3200 hours of flying experience across various fighter jets and has held numerous command & staff appointments. He is a highly experienced fighter pilot and an Instrument Rating Instructor & Examiner (IRIE). He has flown various fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force which include variants of the MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, Jaguar and Su-30 MKI. The Air Marshal's operational tenures include being the Commanding Officer of No. 222 Squadron and was the Commandant of Tactics and Combat Development Establishment (TACDE). He also served as the Defence Attaché at the Embassy of India in Japan.
As an Air Commodore, he served as the Air-1 at Eastern Air Command, as the Air Officer Commanding of 15 Wing, Bareilly and later as the Air Commodore (Air Staff Inspection) at the Air headquarters, New Delhi. As an Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Training and as the Air Officer Commanding of 1 Air Defence Control Centre.
After being promoted to the rank of Air Marshal, on 9 September 2024 he took over as Senior Air Staff Officer of the Eastern Air Command at Shillong. On 1 February 2026, Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command succeeding Air Marshal Surat Singh when the latter superannuated on 31 January 2026.
Awards and decorations During his career, the air marshal has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2018 and the Vayu Sena Medal in 2008.
Ati Vishisht Seva MedalVayu Sena MedalSamanya Seva MedalOperation Vijay MedalOperation Parakram MedalSainya Seva MedalVidesh Seva Medal75th Anniversary of Independence Medal50th Independence Anniversary Medal30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service Medal
Dates of ranks InsigniaRankComponentDate of rankPilot OfficerIndian Air Force11 June 1988Flying OfficerIndian Air Force11 June 1989Flight LieutenantIndian Air Force11 June 1993Squadron LeaderIndian Air Force11 June 1995Wing CommanderIndian Air Force18 October 2004Group CaptainIndian Air Force1 April 2010Air CommodoreIndian Air Force1 March 2016Air Vice MarshalIndian Air Force31 August 2021Air MarshalIndian Air Force9 September 2024 (AOC-in-C from 1 February 2026)
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