New Delhi, October 2026 : Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit assumed charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on Saturday, succeeding Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, who retired after 42 years of distinguished service to the nation.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Chief Marshal Dixit was commissioned into the Fighter Stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on December 6, 1986. His career spans four decades, with extensive experience in operations, flight testing, capability development and joint staff assignments.
The IAF described him as an accomplished fighter pilot, Qualified Flying Instructor and Experimental Test Pilot, with more than 3,300 hours of flying experience on a wide range of aircraft. These include the Mirage-2000, various MiG variants, Jaguar and several transport aircraft.
Air Chief Marshal Dixit has played a significant role in the modernisation of the Indian Air Force. According to the IAF, he was instrumental in finalising the Jaguar and MiG-27 upgrade projects and completing the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) and Final Operational Clearance (FOC) activities of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-I Tejas.
His operational command assignments include commanding a Mirage-2000 squadron, a Forward Base Support Unit in the Western Sector and Air Force Station Bidar, a key fighter training base of the IAF.
He has also served as Air Defence Commander at Southern Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer at South Western Air Command. As Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, he steered several important capability development and procurement initiatives.
Dixit subsequently commanded Central Air Command as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief. He later served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee during Operation Sindoor. Before taking over as Chief of the Air Staff, he was serving as the Vice-Chief of the Air Staff.
The IAF said Air Chief Marshal Dixit is an accomplished graduate of the Defence Services Command and Staff College in Bangladesh and the National Defence College in New Delhi.
In recognition of his distinguished service, he has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Seva Medal.
His appointment as the head of the Indian Air Force comes at a time when the force continues to focus on modernisation, capability development and strengthening operational preparedness.
