Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit appointed 29th Chief of the Air Staff
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit will become India’s 29th Chief of the Air Staff on October 31, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh.
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit. Photo: Ministry of Defence / Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Unmodified. Source: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2319762 | Reuse policy: https://www.pib.gov.in/content/132_2_Copyright-Policy.aspx?lang=1®=1
The government says the serving Vice Chief will take charge in the rank of Air Chief Marshal on October 31, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh.
The Government of India has appointed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff. The appointment takes effect from the afternoon of October 31, 2026, when he will assume the rank of Air Chief Marshal.
Dixit is currently Vice Chief of the Air Staff. He will succeed Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who is due to retire from service on October 31.
Career at a glance
- Commissioned into the Indian Air Force fighter stream on December 6, 1986.
- More than 3,500 flying hours on aircraft including Mirage 2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas.
- Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor.
- Served in operations including Safed Sagar, Rakshak and Sindoor.
- Previously served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Air Command.
The Defence Ministry says he has received the Vayu Sena Medal (2006), Vishisht Seva Medal (2011), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2023) and Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2026). The appointment and main career details were also independently reported by The Indian Express.
Official source and publication time: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Defence, Government of India — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2319762 (published October 6, 2026 at 6:38 PM IST).
Independent verification: The Indian Express — https://indianexpress.com/article/india/air-marshal-ashutosh-dixit-appointed-new-chief-indian-air-force-10909441/ (updated October 7, 2026 at 3:21 AM IST).
Image credit and reuse: Official portrait from Ministry of Defence / Press Information Bureau, Government of India — https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/2026/oct/image%284%29_20261006203952_793821.jpeg. Used unmodified with source acknowledgement under the PIB copyright policy; no third-party credit is shown on the source release.
