India on Tuesday named Air Marshal Arup Raha as the country's next Air Force chief who will take over from incumbent Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N.A. K. Browne, when he retires in December this year.

Air Marshal Raha, currently the vice chief of the Indian Air Force, had earlier headed the Central Air Command and the Western Air Command.

He was commissioned into the Air Force in 1974, and in a career spanning nearly 40 years, Air Marshal Raha served in various capacities, including as Air Attache at the Indian Embassy in Ukraine.

The Indian Air Force has aircraft and equipment of Russian, British, French, Israeli, U.S. and indigenous origins, with Russian aircraft dominating its inventory.

The exact number of active personnel and aircraft in service with the Indian Air Force is not available, however, it is estimated that the Indian Air Force has a strength of 127,000 active personnel and some 1,370 aircraft are said to be in active service.

Since India's independence, the Air Force has been involved in at least four major wars with neighboring Pakistan.