Allegiance India Spouse(s) Harbinder Walia Service/branch Indian Air Force | Years of service 15 June 1979 – present Rank Air marshal | |
Commands held AOC-in-C Southern Air Command Awards Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Vayu Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal | ||
Air Marshal Jasbir Walia PVSM, VM, VSM, ADC is the current and 24th air officer commanding-in-chief of the Southern Air Command of the Indian Air Force. Commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 1979, Walia has held several important appointments as a commanding officer, at Air Headquarters, at the headquarters of various commands of the Indian Air Force (IAF), as an attaché, and has also served as an instructor and as a deputy commandant of various training academies.
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Personal life and education
Walia graduated from the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. He attended a staff course at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington Cantonment, and also attended the Air War Course at the Air War College, Montgomery, Alabama, USA.
He is married to Harbinder Walia; the couple has a son and a daughter.
Military career
Walia was commissioned in the flying branch (fighter stream) of the Indian Air Force on 15 June 1979. He flew various types of aircraft from the inventory of the Indian Air Force including the MiG-21, SEPECAT Jaguar, and training aircraft. As well as being a qualified flying instructor, he is also a pilot attack instructor and a fighter combat leader.
His operational assignments have included commanding officer of Jaguar squadron, held for a maritime strike role, and he has also served as station commander. His appointments at Air Headquarters included director of tactical operations. He held various apex positions at Indian Air Force training academies including as a member of the directing staff, and as deputy commandant at Tactics and Air Combat Defence Establishment, as deputy commandant of the College of Air Warfare (CAW), Secunderabad. He also served as the air attaché at the Indian Embassy located in Washington, D.C., and as the air officer commanding (AOC) of the Jammu and Kashmir Area.
Walia served as the senior air staff officer at the headquarters of the Eastern Air Command before assuming the office of AOC-in-C of the Southern Air Command, the 24th officer to hold the post.
He was conferred the Vayu Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2000 and 2005 respectively by the President of India.