Quick answer: Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took over as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) of the Indian Air Force on 31 October 2026. He replaced Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet (A.P.) Singh, who retired that day after 42 years of service. The Government had announced his appointment on 6 October 2026.
Why the new Chief of the Air Staff is in the news
On 6 October 2026 the Ministry of Defence announced that Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, then Vice Chief of the Air Staff, would become the 29th CAS from the afternoon of 31 October 2026. A PIB release on 31 October confirmed that he had assumed charge. He had been Vice Chief since 1 July 2026. Before that he was Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), and he held that post during Operation Sindoor.
Key facts about Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit
- Born 9 December 1966; commissioned into the fighter stream on 6 December 1986.
- An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), the Defence Services Command and Staff College in Bangladesh, and the National Defence College, New Delhi.
- A fighter pilot, Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor with more than 3,500 flying hours. He has flown the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, Kiran, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas.
- He has commanded a Mirage-2000 squadron and Air Force Station Bidar, a fighter training base. He was also AOC-in-C, Central Air Command and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff.
- The MoD says he took part in Op Safed Sagar, Op Rakshak and Op Sindoor.
- Awards: Vayu Sena Medal (2006), VSM (2011), AVSM (2023), PVSM (2026).
Who heads India’s armed forces now (as of 2 November 2026)
| Post | Office-holder | Took charge | Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) | General N.S. Raja Subramani | 31 May 2026 | 3rd CDS |
| Chief of the Army Staff | General Dhiraj Seth | 30 June 2026 | 31st |
| Chief of the Naval Staff | Admiral Krishna Swaminathan | 31 May 2026 | 27th |
| Chief of the Air Staff | Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit | 31 October 2026 | 29th |
All four posts changed hands in 2026. The previous holders were General Anil Chauhan (CDS), General Upendra Dwivedi (Army) and Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi (Navy).
How service chiefs are appointed
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), which the Prime Minister chairs, selects the three service chiefs. The Ministry of Defence then notifies the appointment.
- A chief serves three years or until the age of 62, whichever comes first. The three-year cap came in 1998, when the retirement age for chiefs was raised from 60 to 62.
- Air Chief Marshal Dixit was born in December 1966, so he turns 62 in December 2028. Reports therefore put the end of his tenure at 31 December 2028.
- The CDS works under separate rules, amended in 2019, which allow him to serve up to the age of 65.
Indian Air Force basics for static GK
- Raised on 8 October 1932, which is why Air Force Day falls on 8 October.
- Motto: Nabhah Sparsham Deeptam (“Touch the sky with glory”), taken from the Bhagavad Gita.
- Air Headquarters is at Vayu Bhawan, New Delhi. The IAF has seven commands: five operational and two functional.
| Command | Type | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| Western Air Command | Operational | New Delhi |
| South Western Air Command | Operational | Gandhinagar |
| Central Air Command | Operational | Prayagraj |
| Eastern Air Command | Operational | Shillong |
| Southern Air Command | Operational | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Training Command | Functional | Bengaluru |
| Maintenance Command | Functional | Nagpur |
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- Questions on the current service chiefs and their serial numbers are routine in NDA and CDS GK. Learn the table above.
- The IAF’s founding date, motto and command headquarters are static facts that show up often in the defence-awareness section and at the SSB interview.
- Questions on the ACC, the tenure rule (three years or 62) and the CDS age limit (65) link this news to polity and defence administration.
Practice MCQs
Q1. Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took over as which Chief of the Air Staff of India?
(a) 27th (b) 28th (c) 29th (d) 31st
Answer: (c) – He assumed charge as the 29th CAS on 31 October 2026.
Q2. The headquarters of the IAF’s Central Air Command is at:
(a) Shillong (b) Prayagraj (c) Gandhinagar (d) Nagpur
Answer: (b) – Shillong is Eastern, Gandhinagar is South Western and Nagpur is Maintenance Command.
Q3. The motto of the Indian Air Force, “Nabhah Sparsham Deeptam”, is taken from:
(a) Rigveda (b) Mundaka Upanishad (c) Bhagavad Gita (d) Arthashastra
Answer: (c) – It comes from the Bhagavad Gita.
Q4. A service chief in India holds office for:
(a) Five years or till 60 (b) Three years or till 62, whichever is earlier (c) Three years or till 65 (d) Till 62 only
Answer: (b) – The age limit of 65 applies to the CDS, not to service chiefs.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the new Chief of the Air Staff of India?
Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit. He took charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on 31 October 2026.
Whom did Ashutosh Dixit succeed as IAF chief?
He succeeded Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who retired on 31 October 2026 after 42 years of service.
What post did Ashutosh Dixit hold before becoming CAS?
He was Vice Chief of the Air Staff from 1 July 2026. Before that he was Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC), a post he held during Operation Sindoor.
Who appoints the service chiefs in India?
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, selects them, and the Ministry of Defence notifies the appointment. A chief serves three years or until age 62, whichever is earlier.
When was the Indian Air Force established?
On 8 October 1932. Air Force Day is marked on that date every year.
Also read on NCA: Monthly defence current affairs PDFs | AIM-120 AMRAAM missile | NDA coaching in Chandigarh
Sources: PIB (MoD), 31 Oct 2026, PIB (MoD), 6 Oct 2026, News On AIR, News On AIR (Navy chief), The Tribune (CDS), ETV Bharat (Army chief), Wikipedia: Indian Air Force. Facts as reported up to 2 November 2026.
Featured image background (representative): Swapnil1101 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
