Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has assumed the role of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Central Air Command, effective September 1, 2024.

Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on December 6, 1986, Air Marshal Dixit is an accomplished Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor with over 3,300 hours of flying experience across a variety of aircraft. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College (Bangladesh), and National Defence College, he has been actively involved in several key operations and exercises, including Operation Safed Sagar and Operation Rakshak.

Throughout his distinguished career spanning more than 37 years, Air Marshal Dixit has held several significant field and staff appointments. Notably, he re-equipped an IAF squadron with state-of-the-art Mirage aircraft as a Commanding Officer and later commanded a frontline fighter air base in the Western Sector and a premier fighter training base in the Southern Sector. His expertise has also been sought as a Directing Staff at the Air Force Test Pilots School and as Principal Director Air Staff Requirement at Air Headquarters.

Prior to his current appointment, Air Marshal Dixit served as the Air Defence Commander of Southern Air Command and held key roles as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects) and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans) at Air Headquarters. Most recently, he served as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, where he led several path-breaking projects focused on the adoption of future technologies, contributing to the IAF’s modernization and its emphasis on ‘Atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance).

In recognition of his outstanding service, Air Marshal Dixit has been honored with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vayu Sena Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal by the President of India.

As the new AOC-in-C of Central Air Command, Air Marshal Dixit’s top priority will be ensuring the operational readiness of the Command in all scenarios, aligned with the IAF’s strategic goals.