India, Oct. 6 -- Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, a fighter pilot with more than 3,500 hours of flying experience, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Air Staff, the government announced on Tuesday.

Currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Dixit will become the 29th Chief of the Indian Air Force and will assume the rank of Air Chief Marshal.

He will succeed Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who is due to retire on October 31, 2026.

From Mirage-2000 to Tejas

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

His flying experience spans several aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, Kiran, IL-78, Hawk and Tej...