New Delhi: Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit on Saturday assumed charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who superannuated after 42 years of distinguished service, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said in a statement reported by news agencies. The change of command took effect on Saturday afternoon and completes the transition announced earlier this month, when the President approved Dixit's appointment; on Friday, Singh had paid a farewell call on President Droupadi Murmu.

Before the handover, the IAF accorded a ceremonial guard of honour to Air Chief Marshal Singh at the Race Course Air Force Station, The Hindu BusinessLine reported. Singh had led the force since September 30, 2024.

A fighter pilot with 3,500 flying hours

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Dixit was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on December 6, 1986. He has more than 3,500 hours of flying experience on over 20 types of aircraft and is an experimental test pilot as well as a qualified flying instructor, according to the Ministry of Defence.

Dixit earlier commanded Central Air Command as its Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief and then served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee — a post he held during Operation Sindoor, India's military operation of May 2025. Immediately before his elevation, he was the Vice Chief of the Air Staff. His tenure as chief runs until December 31, 2028.

He takes over at a significant juncture for the IAF, which is pursuing a modernisation programme involving the induction of new-generation combat aircraft, stronger air defence capabilities, expansion of indigenous aerospace manufacturing and integration of advanced technologies, defence reports noted.