Dixit has flown over 3,500 hours and served in key IAF roles, including Central Air Command and Integrated Defence Staff.
New Delhi: Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed as the next Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF), succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh. Dixit will take charge in the rank of Air Chief Marshal from the afternoon of October 31, 2026, when Singh retires.
Dixit, currently the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, has a nearly four-decade-long career in the IAF and has been closely associated with India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas programme and other aircraft projects.
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Who is Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit?
Dixit was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College in Bangladesh and the National Defence College in New Delhi, he has logged more than 3,500 hours of flying.
He is an Experimental Test Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor.
During his service, Dixit has flown a wide range of aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, HPT-32, An-32, Avro, Kiran, Jaguar, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas.
His operational experience includes Operation Safed Sagar, Operation Rakshak, Cope India and Operation Sindoor.
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Command and operational experience
Dixit has held several important command positions in the IAF.
He has commanded a Mirage-2000 squadron, a frontline fighter air base in the western sector and a fighter training base in the southern sector.
Before becoming Vice Chief of the Air Staff, he served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command and later as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee.
He has also served as Air Defence Commander of Southern Air Command and as Senior Air Staff Officer of South Western Air Command.
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Role in Tejas and indigenous aircraft programmes
Dixit has been closely associated with the induction and advancement of the indigenous LCA Tejas and other Indian aircraft programmes.
He has held several planning and project-related positions at Air Headquarters, including Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, Principal Director of Air Staff Requirements, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects) and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans).
His experience in these roles has placed him closely involved with planning, policy and the development of operational capabilities.
Dixit has received several military decorations during his career.
His awards include the Vayu Sena Medal in 2006, Vishisht Seva Medal in 2011, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023 and Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2026.
His appointment comes as the IAF continues to advance indigenous aircraft programmes, including the Tejas, with Dixit having played a significant role in several such initiatives during his career.
Published: 06 Oct 2026, 07:17 pm IST
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