Who is Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, the new Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Indian Air Force

Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Indian Air Force (IAF), on Friday.

Before his appointment as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Tiwari was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at South Western Air Command.

An experienced IAF pilot with over 3,600 hours of flying experience on various types of aircraft, he has extensive field experience including operational testing of various weapons and systems.

He has also served as Directing Staff at the IAF Test Pilots' School and the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington.

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Air Marshal Tiwari played a major role in operationalising the 'Litening' Laser Designation Pod during the Kargil Operations in 1999. He was actively involved in the flight testing of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) from 2006 to 2009. Later, in 2018-19, he was involved in the final operational clearance of the aircraft as the Project Director (Flight Test) at the National Flight Test Centre.

He served as the Air Attache at Paris from 2013 to 2016. He has also held appointment Deputy Chief of the Air Staff at Air HQ (VB).

Air Marshal Tiwari completed his schooling at Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) in Dehradun before joining the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasala. He is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, USA.

He cleared the course in NDA in Jun 1985 with the President's Gold Medal. He was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the IAF in June 1986.

In recognition of his distinguished service, the Air Marshal was awarded the Presidential Award of Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022, and Vayu Sena Medal in 2008.

Defence