India Appoints Ashutosh Dixit as 29th Air Force Chief

The Indian government appointed Ashutosh Dixit as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. He will officially assume command on the afternoon of October 31, 2026, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who retires on the same day. Following the announcement, Dixit met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 7, who congratulated the Air Chief-designate.

Currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Dixit is a qualified flying instructor and experimental test pilot with over 3,500 flying hours across more than 20 aircraft types, including the Tejas and Mirage-2000. His career includes leadership roles as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command and Chief of Integrated Defence Staff. He has participated in Operation Sindoor, Operation Safed Sagar, and Operation Rakshak, and has worked on indigenous upgrade programs for the Jaguar and MiG-27.

Dixit's tenure is scheduled to last until December 31, 2028. His primary objectives will include modernizing the combat fleet, expanding unmanned warfare, and addressing shortfalls in fighter squadrons. He is expected to advance the Aatmanirbharta initiative for self-reliance in the defence sector and oversee the transition toward integrated theater commands across the three armed forces.