Who is Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Fighter pilot with 3500. hours of flying experience appointed next Indian Airforce Chief

New Delhi :Vice Chief of the Indian Airforce Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been named the new Chief of Air Staff. A veteran fighter pilot with more than 3500+ hours of flying experience, he will replace the incumbent Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Vayu Bhawan on Tuesday announced Air Marshal Dixit’s appointment. He will take charge on 31st October, 2026 and will remain incharge till 31st December 2028.

Known for championing the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and other home-grown aircraft programmes in the force, Air Marshal Dixit is expected to give further impetus to the government's Aatmanirbharta initiative.

Who is Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit?

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 6 December 1986 and is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) Khadakwasla, Defence Staff Service College in Bangladesh and the National Defence College. He has more than 3,500 hours of flying experience.

Air Marshal Dixit has extensive flying experience on a range of aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, various MiG variants, HPT-32, An-32, Avro, Kiran, Jaguar, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas.

He is also an Experimental Test Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor. Over a service career spanning nearly four decades, he has participated in several operations and exercises, including Operation Safed Sagar, Operation Rakshak, Cope-India and Operation Sindoor.

He has held several key field and staff appointments during his career, including command of a front-line fighter air base in the Western Sector and a premier fighter training base in the Southern Sector.

In recognition of his exemplary and distinguished service, he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 2006, the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2011, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2023 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) in 2026.

Before assuming charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Dixit served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS), as well as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command.

Having closely overseen the induction and advancement of the indigenous LCA Tejas and other aircraft programmes, Dixit is expected to play a key role in advancing the government's Aatmanirbharta push in defence.