Air Marshal Vikram Gaur Becomes 1st IAF Officer to Be Appointed Additional Secretary in Department of Military Affairs

New Delhi, October 27, 2026: Air Marshal Vikram Gaur, AVSM, VSM, has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) under the Ministry of Defence, becoming the first officer from the Indian Air Force to hold the post.

The appointment is notable in the context of higher defence management, as the DMA was created in January 2020 as part of broader reforms in the defence establishment. Headed by the Chief of Defence Staff, who also serves as its Secretary, the department is tasked with promoting jointness among the three Services, handling matters related to the integrated headquarters, and carrying out associated responsibilities. Until now, the Additional Secretary position in the DMA had been occupied by officers from the Army and Navy.

Air Marshal Gaur brings to the role a long operational career in the Indian Air Force, including more than 3,200 hours of flying on various fighter aircraft, among them the Su-30MKI. He is fully operational on four different types of fighter aircraft, holds qualifications as a Flying Instructor, and is an Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner. He is also cleared for low-level aerobatics on the Su-30MKI.

Commissioned into the Indian Air Force on 15 December 1990 as a pilot in the Flying Branch under the 146 Course, he is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, 77 NDA. Over the years, he has served in several command and staff appointments across the force.

As a Wing Commander, he commanded No. 20 Squadron, a frontline Su-30MKI unit at Pune, from November 2008 to December 2010. During his tenure, the squadron is said to have achieved high training and operational standards, including the formulation of standard operating procedures, the first weapons camp, and field testing of air-to-ground weaponry.

His other major appointments include serving as Air Attaché at the Embassy of India in Kabul, Afghanistan, from 2015 to 2018; Air Officer Commanding of No. 40 Wing at Maharajpur in Gwalior; and various staff assignments at Air Headquarters, including Air Staff Requirements and C4ISR. He also served as Air Officer Commanding, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, as an Air Vice Marshal from December 2023 to October 2024.

He later moved to the Department of Military Affairs as Joint Secretary (Air and Staff Duties) in October 2024, and was promoted to the rank of Air Marshal in July 2026.

Air Marshal Gaur has been recognised with the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2013 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021. He also received a Chief of the Air Staff Commendation in 2003 and took part in Operation Safed Sagar. He is also a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College.

His appointment as Additional Secretary brings substantial operational experience and staff expertise in air power, joint operations, and sensitive deployments in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to the DMA. The move is expected to support closer inter-service coordination and ensure that Air Force perspectives are better represented in higher defence planning.

The development comes amid continuing efforts within the Ministry of Defence to deepen jointness and professionalise military affairs.