Air Marshal SP Dharkar Retires After 40 Years of Service
A post recently went viral on social media amid the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict following the Pahalgam terror attack. The post claims that the Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal SP Dharkar, who allegedly refused to carry out air strikes on Pakistan, has been removed from his position. It further suggests that, amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, a mutiny has also begun within the Indian armed forces.
Sharing the claim, the handle GHQ 111 Brigade asserted, “After the Indian Army, a mutiny has now started in the Indian Air Force. Vice Chief of Air Staff SP Dharkar has been relieved of his post after just 7 months. SP Dharkar refused to carry out air strikes on Pakistan. He was supervising the emergency deployment of Rafale aircraft last night.”
Another handle Bilal Nadeem claimed, “One senior military official after another was demoted, the Indian military leadership began to fall apart like a pack of cards, and the Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal SP Dharkar, was removed from his post.”
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In our fact-check research, we searched for keywords related to Air Marshal SP Dharkar being removed from his post after he refused to carry out air strikes on Pakistan. However, we did not find any report that could confirm this claim.
On the contrary, according to one of the reports, Air Marshal SP Dharkar, who had been serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff since September 30, 2024, retired on April 30, 2025, on superannuation from the Indian Air Force (IAF) after completing 40 years of service.
Air Marshal Dharkar was commissioned as a flying pilot in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on June 14, 1985. He is a qualified Flying Instructor, Fighter Strike Leader, and an Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner. Over the course of his career, he has held several important appointments, including Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at the Eastern Air Command (EAC) and Senior Air Staff Officer at the South Western Air Command. He has also served as the Air Defence Commander at HQ EAC and as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Training) at Air Headquarters. Apart from that, he was also the first Director General of the Defence Space Agency.
He was awarded the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2025 for his exceptional contribution and high-level service. In addition, he received the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2013 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023.
As per NDTV report, following the retirement of Air Marshal Dharkar, Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Air Command, will take over as the new Vice Chief of the Air Force on May 2.
In conclusion, Air Marshal SP Dharkar, who had been serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff since September 30, 2024, retired on April 30, 2025, after completing 40 years of service. Following his retirement, Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari will take charge as the new Vice Chief. News of Air Marshal Dharkar’s retirement is being falsely shared by some Pakistani handles with the claim that he was removed from his post after refusing to carry out an air strike on Pakistan.
| Claim | Air Marshal SP Dharkar was removed from his position as the Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force because he refused to carry out air strikes on Pakistan during the ongoing conflict. |
| Claimed by | Pakistani handles |
| Fact Check | Air Marshal Dharkar retired on April 30, 2025, after 40 years of service, and that there is no evidence to support the claim that he was dismissed for refusing to conduct air strikes. |
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