Air Marshal Tarun Chaudhry on Monday (June 1, 2026) assumed charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Indian Air Force’s Central Air Command.

Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1989, Air Marshal Chaudhry is a highly accomplished officer with extensive experience in operational, staff, and diplomatic assignments. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College, the College of Air Warfare, and the National Defence College.

During his distinguished career spanning over three decades, he has held several key appointments, including that of the Defence Attaché at the Embassy of India in Sweden, with concurrent accreditation to Norway, Finland and Denmark.

He has also served in important staff roles at the Integrated Defence Staff and Air Headquarters, specialising in projects, acquisitions, and human resource management.

The Air Marshal has played a significant role in advancing the Indian Air Force’s modernisation efforts and has led several transformative initiatives aimed at capability enhancement and the induction of future technologies.

Prior to taking over the Central Air Command, he was serving as the Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Southern Air Command.

Air Marshal Chaudhry succeeds Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan, who retired on May 31, 2026, after completing 40 years of distinguished service.