Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari takes charge as new chief

New Delhi: Protecting India's sovereignty and integrity will be ensured at any cost, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari said on Thursday after taking charge as the Chief of the IAF.

He succeeded Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria following his retirement. "Protection of our nation's sovereignty and integrity is to be ensured at any cost," the new IAF Chief said. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari added that enhancement of operational capability through integration of newly inducted platforms, weapons and equipment with existing assets and dovetailing the same in the concepts of operations would remain a priority area.

In a brief address to the IAF personnel, he also spoke on acquisition of new technology, promotion of indigenisation and innovation, strengthening of cyber security and need for adopting new training methods to deal with future security challenges. The Chief of Air Staff also urged the IAF personnel to "always uphold the ethos and credo of the 'Air Warrior' and strive to be an asset" to force in any role tasked for.

Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari was serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff before assuming the new role. Before becoming Vice Chief of the IAF, he was serving as commander-in-chief of the IAF's WAC that looks after the security of India air space in the sensitive Ladakh sector as well as various other parts of north India.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on December 29, 1982. In a distinguished career spanning nearly 38 years, the officer has flown a wide variety of fighter and trainer aircraft in the inventory of IAF.