New Delhi, 06 October (H.S.): The Centre on Tuesday appointed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM, as the next Chief of the Air Staff. He will take charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff in the rank of Air Chief Marshal with effect from the afternoon of October 31, 2026, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who is due to superannuate on the same day.

The Ministry of Defence said Air Marshal Dixit is currently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff. An Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor, he has more than 3,500 hours of flying experience on various aircraft, including Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Kiran, Jaguar, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas.

Born on December 9, 1966, Air Marshal Dixit was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986. During his career spanning nearly four decades, he has held several operational and staff appointments.

Before assuming charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, he served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College in Bangladesh and National Defence College, Air Marshal Dixit has been associated with several operations and exercises, including Operation Sated Sagar, Operation Rakshak and Operation Sindoor.

He has also commanded a frontline fighter air base in the Western Sector and a fighter training base in the Southern Sector.

Air Marshal Dixit 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 for distinguished service.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar