Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed as the next Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) of the Indian Air Force. The Government of India announced his appointment on 6 October 2026. He will take charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff in the rank of Air Chief Marshal from the afternoon of 31 October 2026, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who will retire on the same day.
The Chief of the Air Staff is the professional head of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and is responsible for providing leadership, operational direction and strategic guidance to the force.
Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit is currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff and will become the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on 31 October 2026. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 6 December 1986.
List of Chiefs of the Air Staff of India
The following table presents the Chiefs of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force since Independence, including the latest appointment of Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit.
| List of Chiefs of the Air Staff of India | ||
|
S. No. |
Chief of the Air Staff |
Tenure |
|
1 |
Air Marshal Sir Thomas Walker Elmhirst |
15 August 1947 – 22 February 1950 |
|
2 |
Air Marshal Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman |
22 February 1950 – 9 December 1951 |
|
3 |
Air Marshal Sir Gerald Ernest Gibbs |
10 December 1951 – 31 March 1954 |
|
4 |
Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee |
1 April 1954 – 8 November 1960 |
|
5 |
Air Marshal Aspy Merwan Engineer |
1 December 1960 – 31 July 1964 |
|
6 |
Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh |
1 August 1964 – 15 July 1969 |
|
7 |
Air Chief Marshal P. C. Lal |
16 July 1969 – 15 January 1973 |
|
8 |
Air Chief Marshal O. P. Mehra |
16 January 1973 – 31 January 1976 |
|
9 |
Air Chief Marshal H. Moolgavkar |
1 February 1976 – 31 August 1978 |
|
10 |
Air Chief Marshal I. H. Latif |
1 September 1978 – 31 August 1981 |
|
11 |
Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh |
1 September 1981 – 4 September 1984 |
|
12 |
Air Chief Marshal L. M. Katre |
5 September 1984 – 1 July 1985 |
|
13 |
Air Chief Marshal D. A. La Fontaine |
3 July 1985 – 31 July 1988 |
|
14 |
Air Chief Marshal S. K. Mehra |
1 August 1988 – 31 July 1991 |
|
15 |
Air Chief Marshal N. C. Suri |
1 August 1991 – 31 July 1993 |
|
16 |
Air Chief Marshal S. K. Kaul |
1 August 1993 – 31 December 1995 |
|
17 |
Air Chief Marshal S. K. Sareen |
1 January 1996 – 31 December 1998 |
|
18 |
Air Chief Marshal A. Y. Tipnis |
1 January 1999 – 31 December 2001 |
|
19 |
Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy |
31 December 2001 – 31 December 2004 |
|
20 |
Air Chief Marshal S. P. Tyagi |
31 December 2004 – 31 March 2007 |
|
21 |
Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major |
31 March 2007 – 31 May 2009 |
|
22 |
Air Chief Marshal P. V. Naik |
31 May 2009 – 31 July 2011 |
|
23 |
Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne |
31 July 2011 – 31 December 2013 |
|
24 |
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha |
31 December 2013 – 31 December 2016 |
|
25 |
Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa |
31 December 2016 – 30 September 2019 |
|
26 |
Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria |
30 September 2019 – 30 September 2021 |
|
27 |
Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari |
30 September 2021 – 30 September 2024 |
|
28 |
Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh |
30 September 2024 – 31 October 2026 |
|
29 |
Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit |
31 October 2026 – Present |
First Indian Chief of the Air Staff
Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee was the first Indian to become the Chief of the Air Staff. He assumed office on 1 April 1954 and served until 8 November 1960.
His appointment marked an important stage in the Indianisation of the senior leadership of the Indian Air Force.
Arjan Singh: A Historic Chief of the Air Staff
Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh served as the Chief of the Air Staff from 1 August 1964 to 15 July 1969. He led the Indian Air Force during the 1965 India-Pakistan War.
He was later promoted to the rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force, becoming the first and only officer to hold this five-star rank in the IAF. His contribution remains an important part of Indian military history.
Role of the Chief of the Air Staff
The Chief of the Air Staff is the professional head of the Indian Air Force and plays a central role in its operational and organisational functioning.
The major responsibilities of the Chief of the Air Staff include:
- Providing professional leadership to the Indian Air Force.
- Advising the Government on matters related to air power and air operations.
- Overseeing the operational preparedness of the IAF.
- Guiding the modernisation and capability development of the force.
- Strengthening jointness and coordination with the Indian Army and Indian Navy.
- Overseeing training, doctrine and operational planning.
- Supporting the development and induction of advanced aircraft, weapons and other technologies.
- Promoting self-reliance and indigenous defence production.
- Ensuring the readiness of the IAF to respond to emerging security challenges.
Last updated on Oct, 2026
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Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit FAQs
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