Air Marshal IS Walia takes over as chief of EAC

Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia assumed the appointment of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command (EAC), of the Indian Air Force on February 1, 2026. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he was commissioned into the Fighter stream on June 11, 1988.

With over 3,200 hours of accident-free flying, the Air Officer is qualified on all variants of the MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, Jaguar, and Su-30 MKI. In a career spanning over three decades, he has commanded a MiG-27 Squadron and the Tactics and Air Combat Development  Establishment (TACDE). A Fighter Strike Leader and Instrument Rating Instructor, he has also served as Defence Attache to Japan and South Korea.