Col Alok Mathur, SM (Veteran)
On 31 Oct 2026, Air Marshal Amarpreet Singh, PVSM, AVSM, the 28th Chief of Air Staff superannuated after 42 years of Distinguished service and glorious career. He offered Floral tributes to Warriors who made supreme sacrifice at National War Memorial in the morning and was given a traditional guard of honour at Airforce Station parade ground. Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM assumed charge of 29th Chief of Air Staff (CAS) of Indian Air force.
IAF, the fourth most powerful Airforce, after USAF, Russian AF and Chinese PLAAF of the World, recently celebrated its 94th Anniversary at Hindon Air base and also at Jodhpur Air base during Ex Tarang Shakti. The motto of IAF is’ Nabh Spar- sham Diptam’ meaning ‘Touch the Sky with Glory’. It is equipped with about 2000 fighters, Transport aircrafts, Helicopters and Missile squadrons including S- 400 and Brahmos hypersonic missiles The manpower stands at 1.5 Lakh active and 1.5 Lakh reserves. The Airforce has been divided in to seven commands (Central Air Command, Eastern Air Command, Western Air Command, South western Command, Southern Command (Operational commands) , Maintenance Command and Training Command.
Let’s go back the memory lane and remember other 28 Chief of Air Staffs. These are Air Marshal Sir Thomas Walker (15 Aug 1947 -22 Feb 1950), Air Marshal Ronald Ive law Chapman (22 Feb 1950- 09 Dec 1951), Air Marshal Sir Gerald Ernest Gibb (10 Dec 1951- 31 March 1954), Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee (01 April 1954- 08 Nov 1960, first Indian to become Air Chief), Air Chief Marshal Aspy Merwan (01 Dec 1960-31 Jul 1964), Marshal of the Air force Arjan Singh (01 Aug 1964 – 15 Jul 1969, Padma Bhushan), Air Chief Marshal P C Lall (16 Jul 1969 – 16 Jan 1973), Air Chief Marshal O P Mehra ( 1973-76), Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar ( 1976-78), Air Chief Marshal Idris Hassan Latif ( 1978- 1981), Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh ( 1981-1984), Air Chief Marshal Lakshman Katre ( 1984-85 ), Air Chief Marshal Denis Anthony La Fontaine( 1985-88), Air Chief Marshal S K Mehra ( 1988- 1991), Air Chief Marshal S K Suri( 1991-1993), Air Chief Marshal Swaroop Krishna Kaul( 1993-95), Air Chief Marshal S K Sareen ( 1995-98), Air Chief Marshal Yaswant Tipnis ( 1998-2001), Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy ( 2001-2004), Air chief Marshal S P Tyagi ( 2004- 07), Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major ( 2007- 2009), Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik ( 2009-11), Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne ( 2011-13), Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha ( 2013-2015), Air Chief Marshal B K Dhanoa ( 2017-2019), Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Singh Bhaduria ( 2019-2021), Air Chief Marshal V R Choudhary ( 30 Sep 2021 t0 30 Sep 2024). Air Chief Marshall Amar Preet Sigh took over as 28th Air Chief on 01 Oct 2024 and served till 31 Oct 2026.
Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Air force Academy, Defence services staff college9 Bangladesh), and National Defence college. He was commissioned in to the 9 squadron (Wolf packs) on 6 Dec,1986. He has almost 3500 hours of Flying experience on wide range of Aircrafts including Mirage 2000, Mig variants, Tejas, Hawk. Kiran etc. He is also an experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor. He has long operational experience he participated in Op Safed Sagar, Op Parakram, Op Balakot and Op Sindoor. He has also been associated with in various international Joint Exercises ie Ex Tarang Shakti 1.0 and 2.0, Ex Cope India. He commanded a Mirage 2000 squadron in western sector and also a strategic Air base in southern sector. He has been awarded with Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vayu Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Op Vijay Star Medal. OP Parakram Medal and other service medals.
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has held various important appointments. He served as Air Officer Commanding in Chief of Central Air Command. He also served as Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Assistant Chief of Air staff for projects and Plans before appointed as Deputy Chief of Air Staff. He also had appointment of as Chief of Integrated Staff before posted as Vice Chief of Air Staff. He has been also widely associated with IAF, s efforts to promote indigenous aerospace programmes particularly Tejas Mk 1 A, Tejas Mk 2 and Advance Medium Combat Aircraft.
The new chief has new challenges to upgrade and enhance strength of Indian Air Force with new generation of Fighter Aircrafts and replacement of Mig squadrons and also old transport aircrafts like AVRO and AN 32. The most important task is to procurement of Aeroengines from General Electric for Tejas and produce aeroengines at home with collaboration. With his experience as test pilot and holding important appointment in Air Headquarter, the nation is confident that Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit will achieve full operational preparedness and transformation of Indian Air force with fifth and sixth generation of Air assets.
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