Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra takes charge of IAF’s Western Air Command | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra on Wednesday officially took charge as the Commander of the Indian Air Force‘s (IAF) Western Air Command, a critical position responsible for safeguarding India’s western borders.
Commissioned as a fighter pilot in December 1986, Air Marshal Mishra has logged over 3,000 flying hours. A graduate of the National Defence Academy in Pune, his academic credentials include advanced training from the Air Force Test Pilots School in Bangalore, the Air Command and Staff College in the United States, and the Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom.
He succeeds Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha, who retired on December 31, 2024.
Air Marshal Mishra is both a fighter combat leader and an experimental test pilot. His career trajectory includes several key appointments within the IAF, reflecting his diverse operational and strategic acumen. These roles range from commanding officer of a fighter squadron to serving as Chief Test Pilot at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE). He has also held command of two frontline air bases and served in pivotal roles such as director of operational planning and assessment, principal director (ASR), and assistant chief of air staff (Projects) at air headquarters. Additionally, he was commandant of ASTE and deputy chief of integrated defence staff (doctrine, organisation, and training).
Before this appointment, Air Marshal Mishra was serving as deputy chief of integrated defence staff (operations).
The Western Air Command is one of the IAF’s most strategically significant formations, tasked with defending the nation’s western frontier and providing operational support during conflicts.