Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff. He will assume charge on October 31 after Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh retires.
New Delhi: Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, currently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, has been appointed 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.
The appointment was announced by the Government on Tuesday. The incumbent Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, is due to retire 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. He has served in several key operational and staff appointments during a career spanning nearly four decades.
Before becoming 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, according to a Ministry of Defence release.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, Bangladesh, and National Defence College, Air Marshal Dixit has more than 3,500 hours of flying experience.
His flying experience includes the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Kiran, Jaguar, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas. He is also an Experimental Test Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor.
During his career, he has been associated with several operations and exercises, including Operation Sated Sagar, Operation Rakshak and Operation Sindoor.
He has commanded a frontline fighter air base in the Western Sector and a premier fighter training base in the Southern Sector. He has also held several important operational and staff positions, contributing to the Indian Air Force's operational preparedness and capabilities.
In recognition of his service, Air Marshal Dixit has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (2006), Vishisht Seva Medal (2011), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2023) and Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2026).
