NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday met newly appointed Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, and wished him a successful tenure at the helm of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
In a post on X, Singh described Air Chief Marshal Dixit as a distinguished air warrior known for his excellent leadership and extended his best wishes for his new assignment.
Air Chief Marshal Dixit assumed charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on October 31, 2026, succeeding Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, who superannuated after 42 years of distinguished service to the nation.
On Sunday, the newly appointed Air Chief outlined his priorities under the ‘VAYU’ vision, emphasising combat readiness, restoration of the IAF’s sanctioned combat strength, indigenous defence capabilities, technological innovation and greater cohesion among the armed forces.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Chief Marshal Dixit was commissioned into the Fighter Stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986. Over a career spanning four decades, he has served in operational, flight-testing, capability-development and joint-staff assignments.
An accomplished fighter pilot, Qualified Flying Instructor and Experimental Test Pilot, he has logged more than 3,300 hours of flying on several aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, various MiG variants, Jaguar and transport aircraft.
Dixit has played a significant role in the modernisation of the IAF, contributing to the finalisation of the Jaguar and MiG-27 upgrade projects and the Initial and Final Operational Clearance activities for the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk-I.
His operational command experience includes leading a Mirage-2000 squadron, a Forward Base Support Unit in the Western Sector and Air Force Station Bidar, a key fighter-training base.
He has also served as Air Defence Commander at Southern Air Command, Senior Air Staff Officer at South Western Air Command and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, overseeing key capability-development and procurement initiatives.
Before taking over as Air Chief, Dixit commanded Central Air Command as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief and served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee during Operation Sindoor. He was serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff immediately before his appointment.
