NEW DELH, OCT 6: The Government of India has appointed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff, marking a significant transition in the top leadership of the Indian Air Force. Dixit, currently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, will assume the appointment in the rank of Air Chief Marshal on October 31, 2026, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who is scheduled to superannuate the same day.
Air Marshal Dixit brings nearly four decades of experience in fighter operations, test flying, training, command and strategic planning. Commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on December 6, 1986, he has logged more than 3,500 hours of flying and has flown a wide range of aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, Tejas, Hawk, IL-78, An-32 and Kiran. He is also an Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor.
His operational experience includes participation in Operation Safed Sagar, Operation Rakshak, Exercise Cope India and Operation Sindoor, while his career has encompassed several key command and staff assignments. He has commanded a frontline fighter air base and a premier fighter training base and served as Air Defence Commander of Southern Air Command, Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Senior Air Staff Officer at South Western Air Command and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command.
Before becoming Vice Chief of the Air Staff in July 2026, Dixit served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, where he was involved in initiatives aimed at strengthening jointness and integration among the three services. The Ministry of Defence has also recognised his distinguished career with the Vayu Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Seva Medal.
His elevation comes at a strategically important phase for the IAF, with the force pursuing capability enhancement, technological modernisation, greater jointness among the armed forces and preparations for increasingly complex multi-domain operations. As the incoming Chief of the Air Staff, Dixit will take charge of these priorities while overseeing the IAF’s operational readiness and long-term force modernisation.
