Putting all speculations to rest, the Union government on Thursday announced Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria as the next Indian Air Force chief, following the 'seniority principle'. Incumbent chief B.S. Dhanoa's tenure will end on September 30, after an eventful period of nearly three years. In fact, Bhadauria's name was not even in the list of four officers sent by the defence ministry to the government.
Bhadauria's name came as a surprise to the military fraternity as he is retiring on the same day as Dhanoa. But now that he has been appointed as the Chief of Air Staff, he will serve a two-year term. There is a precedent for two men retiring on the same day to have been IAF chiefs—in July 1991, Air Marshal N.C. Suri became the Chief of Air Staff after Air Chief Marshal S.K. Mehra demitted office in the forenoon, thus enabling Suri to become head of IAF.
Many military personnel believe that the 'seniority principle' is the best guarantee against the politicisation of the top post, but it is not followed in most countries. United States, France, Germany, China and even Pakistan do not follow it. The UK, however, does.
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Bhadauria's appointment almost clears the way for the selection of Army Chief General Bipin Rawat as the country's first Chief of Defence Staff by the end of the year. General Rawat will, in such case, get the baton of Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee on September 30 from Dhanoa.
Bhadauria was commissioned into the fighter stream of Indian Air Force in June 1980, and has held various command, staff and instructional appointments at various levels—Command of a Jaguar Squadron and a premier Air Force Station, Commanding Officer of Flight Test Squadron at Aircraft & System Testing Establishment, Chief Test Pilot and Project Director of National Flight Test Centre on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project.
He was extensively involved in the initial prototype flight tests on the LCA. He was the Air Attache, at Indian Embassy in Moscow, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects), Commandant of the National Defence Academy, Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ CAC, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff at Air HQ and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Air Command and also the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command.
Bhadauria has won the coveted ‘Sword of Honour’ for coming first in the overall order of merit. He has been awarded several medals like the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, the Vayu Sena Medal and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal. He has over 4,250 hours of experience on 26 types of fighters and transport aircraft.
As the Vice Chief of Air Staff, Bhadauria was instrumental in the Rafale fighter jet negotiations with the French government and Dassault Aviation. Because of his involvement in the Rafale jet negotiations, his initials 'RB' is inked on the first Rafale fighter jet to be handed over to India next month.