Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VM is a serving officer of the Indian Air Force. He is currently serving as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff. Previously, he served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Air Command, prior to that he was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command. He earlier served as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff and as 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 Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and the National Defence College, New Delhi.
Military career He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 13 June 1987 from the Air Force Academy. In a career spanning over three decades, he has more than 4500 hours of flying experience across various fighter jets and has held numerous staff & instructional appointments. He is a highly experienced fighter pilot, qualified flying instructor and a fighter combat leader who has flown the SEPECAT Jaguar, Hunter, Kiran and HPT-32 ac and also qualified as a 2nd pilot on Cheetah helicopter. He is a Category A qualified flying instructor. He has done instructional tenure as Flying Instructor at Flying Instructors School and has been Air Force Examiner at the Aircrew Examining Board. The Air Marshal's operational tenures include being the Commanding Officer of No. 5 Squadron, Station Commander of 47 Signal Unit, a radar station in the Western Sector.
As an Air Commodore, he served as the Air Officer Commanding of 7 Wing, Ambala, as the Principal Director Personnel Officer (PDPO) at Air Headquarters in New Delhi and later as the Principal Director of Aerospace Safety at the Air Headquarters, New Delhi.
As an Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Ops, Offensive) at the Air headquarters, New Delhi, as the Air Officer Commanding, Jammu and Kashmir and as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Ops, Strategy).
After being promoted to the rank of Air Marshal, on 22 May 2023 he took over as Senior Air Staff Officer of the Eastern Air Command at Shillong. A year later on 1 September 2024, he took over as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff. On 1 May 2025, he took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command succeeding Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor who moved to South Western Air Command as Air Commander. On 1 January 2026, Air Marshal Tejinder Singh took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Air Command succeeding Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor upon his elevation as the Vice Chief of Air Staff.
On 1 July 2026, he assumed the appointment of Chief of Integrated Defence Staff succeeding Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit upon his elevation as the Vice Chief of Air Staff.
Awards and decorations During his career, the air marshal has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2026, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022 and the Vayu Sena Medal in 2007.
Param Vishisht Seva MedalAti Vishisht Seva MedalVayu Sena MedalSpecial Service MedalSiachen Glacier MedalOperation Parakram MedalSainya Seva MedalHigh Altitude Medal75th Independence Anniversary Medal50th Independence Anniversary Medal30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service Medal
Dates of ranks InsigniaRankComponentDate of rankPilot OfficerIndian Air Force13 June 1987Flying OfficerIndian Air Force13 June 1988Flight LieutenantIndian Air Force13 June 1992Squadron LeaderIndian Air Force13 June 1998Wing CommanderIndian Air Force11 May 2004Group CaptainIndian Air Force14 December 2009Air CommodoreIndian Air Force1 October 2013Air Vice MarshalIndian Air Force1 January 2020Air MarshalIndian Air Force1 April 2023 (AOC-in-C from 1 May 2025)
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