From Op Safed Sagar to Sindoor: New IAF chief Ashutosh Dixit's 4-decade-long decorated career

A fighter pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours, Dixit has held senior operational and command roles and received several military honours.

Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took charge as the new IAF chief on Saturday, October 31. He succeeded Air Chief Marshal AP Singh who retired from the force after a 42-year-long illustrious career.

“Over a career spanning four decades, the Air Chief has rich experience across diverse domains such as operations, flight testing, capability development and joint staff assignments,” the IAF said in a statement.

National Defence Academy alumnus

Born on December 9, 1966, Air Marshal Dixit was commissioned into the Indian Air Force's fighter stream on December 6, 1986.

He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College in Bangladesh and the National Defence College. An accomplished pilot, he has logged over 3,500 hours of flying experience across 20 aircraft types, including the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, Tejas, Hawk, Kiran, An-32 and IL-78.

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A qualified flying instructor and experimental test pilot, Dixit began his career as an instructor at the Air Force Test Pilots School. He then took command of a fighter squadron in December 2003 that was being re-equipped with Mirage-2000 aircraft.

He oversaw the transition and ensured that the squadron commenced full-scale flying operations soon after the aircraft's arrival. He also led the acceptance flights and ferrying of 10 newly acquired Mirage-2000 aircraft from France to India.

Held key command and staff positions

Dixit has commanded a frontline fighter airbase in the western sector and a fighter training base in the southern sector. He also served as a Directing Staff at the Air Force Test Pilots School and as Principal Director of Air Staff Requirements at Air Headquarters.

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Over the course of his career, he held several key appointments, including Air Defence Commander of the Southern Air Command, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects), Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans) at Air Headquarters, Senior Air Staff Officer at the South Western Air Command and Deputy Chief of Air Staff at Air Headquarters.

He later served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command before taking over as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), a position he held during Operation Sindoor. He then assumed the charge of Vice Chief of the Air Staff, on July 1, 2026.

Participated in operations Safed Sagar, Sindoor

Dixit has been involved in several military operations and exercises, including Operation Safed Sagar during the Kargil War, Cope India exercise with the US airforce and Operation Rakshak in Jammu and Kashmir. He served as the Chief of Integrated Staff to the CISC during Operation Sindoor.

In recognition of his distinguished service, Dixit has received several honours, including the Vayu Sena Medal in 2006, Vishisht Seva Medal in 2011, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023 and Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2026.

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The IAF Chief has played a key role in the modernisation of the Indian Air Force, contributing to the finalisation of the Jaguar and MiG-27 upgrade projects. He was also involved in completing the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) and Final Operational Clearance (FOC) processes for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-I, PTI reported.

(with inputs from PTI/ANI)

Prerna is a Contributor at Hindustan Times, with an academic background in English literature. After completing her BA in English at Gargi College, she went on to pursue an MA in English from JNU, where she developed a strong foundation in critical thinking and research, and a deeper engagement with cultural and social questions. She previously interned with the Indian Express at the Education Desk. Her writing and research interests span culture, literature, art, and education, with a particular focus on Indian speculative fiction and its intersections with gender and queerness. Her academic background informs her approach to writing, combining research with clear, accessible communication. Outside of work and academia, Prerna is an avid reader and enjoys birdwatching.Read More