Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhary will visit Sri Lanka on May 01 for an official visit on an invitation from Sri Lanka Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana.

Air Chief Marshal Chaudhary, who joined the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in 1982, has an extensive experience of over 3,800 flying hours on various fighter jets, including MiG-21, MiG-23MF, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI.

He is a highly accomplished professional with numerous qualifications, including Qualified Flying Instructor, Pilots Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner. He is also a founding member of the Indian Air Force Surya Kiran Aerobatic Demonstration Team. Since September 30, 2021, he serves as the 27th Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. During his stay, the Indian Air chief is expected to call on the President, the Prime Minister, the State Minister of Defence and the Defence Secretary.

The official visit aims to facilitate discussions on the development of cooperation between regional air forces, joint training and technical knowledge exchange. The expansion of maritime surveillance operations will also be among the key topics for discussion.