Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor

On 1st January 2026, Nagesh Kapoor assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he graduated in December 1985 and was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on 6 December 1986.
A highly experienced fighter pilot, Qualified Flying Instructor and Fighter Combat Leader, he has flown all variants of the MiG-21 and MiG-29 aircraft.
He has accumulated over 3,400 hours of flying experience on a wide range of combat and trainer aircraft.
Over a career spanning more than 39 years, Air Marshal Kapoor has held diverse command, operational, instructional and staff appointments.
His operational tenures include Commanding Officer of a fighter squadron in the Central Sector, Station Commander of a flying base in the Western Sector, and Air Officer Commanding of a premier air base.