In Brief
- Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit officially took charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on October 31, 2026.
- He succeeds Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who retired after over 40 years of service.
- Prior to taking over as the IAF Chief, Dixit served as the 51st Vice Chief of the Air Staff.
- An Experimental Test Pilot with over 3,500 flying hours, he brings extensive operational experience across major aircraft platforms.
- His tenure as Chief of the Air Staff is scheduled to run until December 31, 2028.
Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit Assumes Command as 29th Chief of the Air Staff
Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit officially assumed office as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
He succeeds Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who superannuated after more than four decades of distinguished service to the nation. Prior to his elevation to the top post, Air Chief Marshal Dixit had been serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff since July 2026.
A Distinguished Aviation and Command Record
Commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF in December 1986, Air Chief Marshal Dixit is an Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor with more than 3,500 flying hours. Over his decorated career spanning nearly four decades, he has flown a wide array of aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, and the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
His operational record includes key roles during Operation Safed Sagar in the 1999 Kargil War and Operation Rakshak in Jammu and Kashmir. He has held major appointments across the armed forces, including Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff.
Vision and Modernization Focus
Upon taking charge, the new Air Chief laid floral wreaths at the National War Memorial to honor fallen bravehearts before outlining his vision for the force. Recognized as a strong advocate for domestic defense manufacturing, Air Chief Marshal Dixit is expected to prioritize self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta) and accelerate the induction of indigenous aerospace technologies throughout his tenure, which runs through December 31, 2028.
