The Ministry of Defence announced on 30 October 2026 that Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia will be the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCoAS), succeeding Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who will take charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS).
- Air Marshal Walia is currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Eastern Air Command.
- An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), he was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 11 June 1988.
- He is qualified to fly various fighter aircraft, including MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, Jaguar and Su-30 MKI.
- During his nearly four-decade career, he has held several important command and staff positions, including command of a frontline fighter squadron and the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE).
- He has also served as Defence Attaché at Indian embassies in Japan and South Korea.
- He was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (2008) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2018) for distinguished service.
