Air Marshal P.V. Shivanand, AVSM, VM, assumed charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the South Western Air Command (SWAC) today, marking a new chapter in the operational leadership of one of the Indian Air Force’s key commands.
On assuming command, the Air Marshal paid homage to the nation’s fallen heroes at the South Western Air Command War Memorial, reaffirming the Indian Air Force’s enduring commitment to honouring the sacrifices of its personnel.
Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1988, Air Marshal Shivanand is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) and the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. An accomplished fighter pilot, he has logged more than 2,800 flying hours on the MiG-21 and the IL-76-based Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.
During his distinguished career, Air Marshal Shivanand has held several key operational, command and staff appointments. His assignments include serving as the Defence and Air Attaché at the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., with concurrent accreditation to Canada. He has also commanded two frontline fighter squadrons and a premier airbase in the Eastern Sector, besides holding important staff appointments at Air Headquarters and Headquarters South Western Air Command in the domains of air operations, air defence, and airborne sensors and networking.
The Air Marshal has played a pivotal role in the operationalisation of critical platforms and the implementation of major air defence initiatives, significantly enhancing surveillance capabilities and strengthening the Indian Air Force’s integrated air defence architecture.
Prior to assuming his present appointment, Air Marshal Shivanand served as the Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Central Air Command, where he contributed to enhancing operational readiness and capability development.
Air Marshal Shivanand succeeds Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VM, who assumed the appointment of Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff on 1 July 2026.
