Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force on Saturday, October 31, 2026, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who retired after more than four decades in uniform. Dixit, a fighter pilot and experimental test pilot, takes command of a force facing a shrinking fighter fleet, delayed aircraft deliveries and a long-running debate over how India’s three armed services should be organised for joint warfare.
The handover took place in New Delhi, where the outgoing chief was given a ceremonial guard of honour before handing the baton to his successor. Dixit had been serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, and he will lead the Air Force until December 31, 2028.
What happened
Dixit assumed charge as the new Chief of the Air Staff on the afternoon of October 31, the day Singh superannuated as the 28th chief. The Indian Air Force announced the change on social media, saying Singh had handed over command after a distinguished career spanning more than four decades.
Before leaving office, Singh paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. A guard of honour by Air Warriors formed the formal farewell to the outgoing chief, and the baton then passed to Dixit.
The change of command is a routine leadership transition, but its timing matters. Singh led the Air Force during Operation Sindoor, in which Indian aircraft struck Pakistani air bases and military assets, and Dixit himself played a key role in that operation in his previous tri-service job. The new chief therefore inherits both the operational lessons of that campaign and the procurement and restructuring decisions that follow from it.
Who is Ashutosh Dixit?
Born on December 9, 1966, Dixit was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986. Nearly four decades later, he reaches the top job with more than 3,300 flying hours across more than 20 types of aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, Kiran, IL-78, Hawk and the indigenous Tejas fighter.
He is an experimental test pilot and a qualified flying instructor, and his career has mixed front-line command, staff work and training. He commanded a front-line fighter air base in the western sector and a premier fighter training base in the southern sector, and he later served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command.
One episode from his earlier career is often cited as a marker of his style. After taking command of No. 9 “Wolfpack” Squadron in 2003, he re-equipped it with French-origin Mirage-2000 fighters, ferrying the aircraft in from France, and was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal for the work. He went on to become the first former commanding officer of a Mirage-2000 squadron to become Air Force chief.
Dixit is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College in Bangladesh and the National Defence College. Before becoming Vice Chief of the Air Staff in July 2026, he spent 14 months as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, a period that spanned Operation Sindoor. In that role he worked on joint doctrines and the Defence Forces Vision 2047, and he described the move towards theatre commands as a historic opportunity.
His operational record includes Operation Safed Sagar, Operation Rakshak and Operation Sindoor, and he has received distinguished service awards including the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, the Vayu Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal.
The outgoing chief’s legacy
Singh, who completed a 25-month tenure as chief, leaves after leading the Air Force through a period of intense operational activity and public debate about its future shape. His farewell guard of honour and his tribute at the National War Memorial closed a career that began in December 1984.
In his final days in office, Singh restated the Air Force’s long-held position on jointness: the force is committed to working jointly with the Army and Navy, but it has consistently opposed any permanent geographical division of its fighter aircraft. The argument is that scarce air assets must stay under centralised control so they can be switched between fronts as needed. That position is now Dixit’s to defend, refine or change.
The challenges ahead
Three problems will define Dixit’s tenure, and none of them has a quick fix.
First, the fighter fleet is shrinking. The Air Force is down to 29 fighter squadrons, each with 16 to 18 jets, against a sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons meant to counter the combined threat from China and Pakistan. Analysts cited in Indian reporting say the force needs to induct 36 to 40 fighters a year just to stop the slide.
Second, deliveries are behind schedule. The 180 Tejas Mk1A jets ordered from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited are running around two years behind schedule, largely because of delays in supplies of GE F404 engines. The proposed deal for 114 Rafale fighters is still being evaluated, with a decision expected by the end of the year, according to the defence secretary.
Third, the theatre-command question remains unresolved. A long-pending proposal for three theatre commands awaits a final decision. Dixit’s recent tri-service experience is expected to help here: as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff he worked directly on joint structures, and he will now have to reconcile the push for theatre commands with the Air Force’s concerns about splitting its fighter fleet.
Beyond those three issues, the wider modernisation agenda continues: accelerating indigenous programmes such as the Tejas Mk1A and future combat aircraft, adapting to advanced surveillance and precision-strike technology, and deepening integration among India’s three services.
Why it matters
The Air Force chief does not just command aircraft; he shapes what India can do in a crisis. With 29 squadrons against a sanctioned 42, every procurement delay and every organisational decision carries operational weight. If Tejas deliveries slip further, or if the Rafale decision drags on, the shortfall will deepen before it improves.
Dixit’s background also matters for the direction of reform. A chief who has run a fighter squadron, commanded an air base, led a regional command and then spent 14 months in the tri-service headquarters arrives with a view of the force from every level. His public support for theatre commands as a historic opportunity suggests the long-stalled jointness debate may move faster under him — but his own service’s reservations about dividing fighter assets mean any move will be closely watched.
Regionally, the appointment lands at a sensitive moment. India is modernising all three services at once, its neighbours are doing the same, and the lessons of Operation Sindoor are still being absorbed into doctrine and procurement. The new chief’s first year will show whether the Air Force can turn plans on paper into aircraft on ramps.
What happens next
Dixit’s immediate agenda is expected to focus on speeding up inductions, pressing the case for faster Tejas deliveries and a decision on the Rafale proposal, and settling the Air Force’s position on theatre commands. Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia has been appointed Vice Chief of the Air Staff with effect from November 1, completing the top leadership change.
Dixit will receive his own guard of honour on Sunday, the day after taking charge. His tenure runs until December 31, 2028, giving him just over two years to arrest the squadron slide and shape the force’s modernisation.
Timeline
- December 9, 1966: Ashutosh Dixit is born.
- December 6, 1986: Dixit is commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force.
- 2003: Dixit takes command of No. 9 “Wolfpack” Squadron and re-equips it with Mirage-2000 fighters.
- July 2026: Dixit becomes Vice Chief of the Air Staff after 14 months as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.
- October 31, 2026: Dixit takes charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff, succeeding Amar Preet Singh.
- November 1, 2026: Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia takes over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff.
- December 31, 2028: Dixit’s tenure as Air Force chief is scheduled to end.
Related coverage
India’s defence modernisation has been in focus this month: India cleared a Rs 40,000 crore plan for eight next-generation stealth corvettes for the Navy, a reminder that all three services are expanding at once. On the diplomatic front, Quad foreign ministers met in Atlanta this week to discuss Indo-Pacific security and supply chains, the regional backdrop against which the new Air Force chief takes command. More stories like this can be found in the World section.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the new Indian Air Force chief? Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, a fighter pilot and experimental test pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours, who previously served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff and as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.
When did Ashutosh Dixit take charge as IAF chief? He took charge on October 31, 2026, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who retired the same day.
Who was the previous IAF chief? Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, the 28th Chief of the Air Staff, who served a 25-month tenure and led the force during Operation Sindoor.
How many fighter squadrons does the IAF have? The Air Force is down to 29 fighter squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42, a shortfall that is one of the new chief’s biggest challenges.
What aircraft has Ashutosh Dixit flown? More than 20 types, including the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, Kiran, IL-78, Hawk and the indigenous Tejas fighter.
How long will Ashutosh Dixit serve as Air Force chief? His tenure runs until December 31, 2028.