Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit was sworn in as the new Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday, replacing Air Chief Marshal AP Singh who retired on completion of his illustrious 43-year career in the force.
Prior to the appointment Dixit holding the post of Vice Chief of the Air Staff. He has participated in many major operations such as Operation Sindoor and is known for his skill in strategy planning.
A Career Spanning Nearly Four Decades
Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit is an experienced fighter and experimental test pilot with over 3,500 hours flying experience in different aircraft. These are the Mirage-2000, Jaguar, MiG variants, Tejas, Hawk, Kiran, An-32 and IL-78.
He has been in several Command, Staff and Instructional appointments throughout his career. He has also operational experience in Operations Safed Sagar, Rakshak, Cope India and Sindoor.
Training and Key Appointments
Dixit received his education from the National Defence Academy, Bangladesh Defence Services Staff College College and the Defence Services College. Another qualification he has is as a qualified flying instructor.
Early in his career, he was an instructor at the Air Force Test Pilots School, before commanding a fighter squadron.
Prior to his appointment as Vice Chief of Air Staff, Dixit held the post of Chief of Integrated Defence Staff at HQ IDS to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC).
His appointment brings strong flying experience and operational exposure, along with experience at several major defence establishments, to the top at IAF.