Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, Indian Air Force.
Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari: New Delhi, Dec. 31: Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari retired as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff on Tuesday, bringing to a close more than four decades of distinguished service in the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Commissioned on June 7, 1986, as a fighter pilot, Air Marshal Tiwari logged over 3,600 hours of flying across a wide range of aircraft. A qualified flying instructor and experimental test pilot, he built a reputation as one of the IAF’s most experienced aviators and planners.
Over the course of his career, he held a variety of key command and staff appointments. These included serving as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Air Command, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff at Air Headquarters, and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in both Projects and Plans. He also represented India abroad as Air Attaché in Paris from 2013 to 2016.
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Air Marshal Tiwari played a significant operational and developmental role in the IAF. His field experience included operational testing of weapons and systems, notably the induction of the ‘Litening’ Laser Designation Pod during the Kargil conflict in 1999.
He was also closely associated with multiple phases of flight testing of the Light Combat Aircraft programme. Earlier in his career, he served as directing staff at the IAF Test Pilots’ School and the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College in the United States.
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In recognition of his exceptional service, Air Marshal Tiwari received several of the nation’s highest military honours, including the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022, and the Vayusena Medal in 2008. This year, he was also awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal for distinguished service in operations.
His retirement marks the end of an era defined by operational excellence, leadership, and contribution to the modernization of the Indian Air Force.
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