Air Marshal Reddy is new Chief of Integrated Defence Staff

New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) Air Marshal P.P. Reddy Tuesday took charge as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.

Air Marshal Reddy, who succeeds Lt. Gen. Anil Chait, will report to the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force in June 1977, Air Marshal reddy is an alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College, the National Defence Academy and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.

He is a qualified flying instructor and an experimental test pilot with over 3,600 hrs flying experience on various types of fighter and transport aircraft, including the Sukhoi SU-30 MKI.

He has commanded a MiG-27 squadron and a fighter base in the Kashmir Valley and was instrumental in the implementation of the SU-30 MKI, IL-78 flight refueller and MiG-27 upgrade programmes.

A tri-services set up, Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) was set up on the recommendations of a high-level committee formed in the aftermath of the 1999 Kargil war with Pakistan.