New Delhi, March 31 -- India's largest budget carrier, IndiGo, on Tuesday named William "Willie" Walsh, currently director general of the International Air Transport Association (Iata), as its chief executive, three weeks after Pieter Elbers abruptly stepped down from the position.

"(Walsh's) ⁠experience in managing large-scale airline operations and navigating complex market dynamics makes him ideally suited to strengthen ​and lead IndiGo," said chairman Vikram Singh Mehta in a statement.

Walsh, an Irish national, started as a cadet pilot with Aer Lingus in 1979 and became its CEO in 2001. In 2005, he took charge of British Airways and led the airline through the global financial crisis. He also helped build strong partners...