Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed the 29th Chief of the Air Staff and will take charge as Air Chief Marshal on October 31, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh.
A fighter pilot and Experimental Test Pilot with over 3,500 hours of flying experience, Dixit has held key operational and command positions, including Chief of Integrated Defence Staff and AOC-in-C, Central Air Command.
Dixit takes charge as IAF chief amid efforts to modernise the combat fleet, strengthen air defence and expand unmanned warfare and jointness among the armed forces.
Who Is Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit? The Fighter Pilot Set To Lead The IAF
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, an Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor with nearly four decades in the Indian Air Force, will become the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on October 31.
Summary
The government has announced the appointment of Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as the next Chief of the Air Staff on Tuesday, he currently serves as Vice Chief of the Air Staff. He will take charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff in the rank of Air Chief Marshal from the afternoon of October 31, 2026.
Air Marshal Dixit will succeed Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who is due to superannuate on October 31.
Born on December 9, 1966, Air Marshal Dixit was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986. Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he has held several operational, command and staff appointments.
Before taking over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Dixit served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff. He has also served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command.
An Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor, Dixit has more than 3,500 hours of flying experience on aircraft including the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, Kiran, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas. He has commanded a frontline fighter base in the Western Sector and a premier fighter training base in the Southern Sector.
Dixit has been associated with several major operations and exercises, including Operation Safed Sagar, Operation Rakshak and Operation Sindoor. He has also commanded a Mirage-2000 squadron during his operational career.
The incoming Air Chief is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College in Bangladesh and the National Defence College.
His service has been recognised with several military honours. He was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 2006, Vishisht Seva Medal in 2011, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023 and Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2026.
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As the new Air Chief, Dixit will take charge of the IAF at a time when the force is pursuing major modernisation of its combat fleet, air defence and unmanned warfare capabilities, while also focusing on greater integration and jointness among the three services.
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