NEW DELHI: The government has appointed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff in the rank of Air Chief Marshal, with effect from the afternoon of October 31. Air Marshal Dixit will succeed Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh as the head of the Indian Air Force.

An experienced officer, Dixit has held several key operational and strategic positions during his career. His previous appointments include Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command.

According to the Defence Ministry, Dixit is an experimental Test Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor with more than 3,500 hours of flying experience. His appointment comes at a significant time for the Indian Air Force as it continues to strengthen its operational capabilities and modernise its fleet and defence systems.