Government appoints Air Marshal Ashutosh Dlxit, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM as Chief of the Air Staff (CAS)

The Government of India has appointed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), effective from October 31, 2026. He will assume the rank of Air Chief Marshal, succeeding the current CAS, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh. Commissioned in 1986 into the fighter stream, Air Marshal Dixit is an Experimental Test Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor with over 3,500 hours of flying experience. His career includes serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Air Command. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Staff Service College, and National Defence College.