Air Marshal Tejinder Singh appointed deputy chief of air staff

New Delhi ,1 September 2024 : Air Marshal Tejinder Singh has been appointed as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF), according to an announcement from the Defence Ministry. Air Marshal Singh assumed his new role on Sunday, taking charge at the Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan) and paying tribute to fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial. A distinguished alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Singh was commissioned into the IAF’s fighter stream on June 13, 1987. His extensive career includes over 4,500 flying hours as a Category ‘A’ Qualified Flying Instructor. He is also a graduate of both the Defence Service Staff College and the National Defence College.

Throughout his service, Air Marshal Singh has held a variety of significant positions. He has commanded a fighter squadron, a radar station, a premier fighter base, and served as the Air Officer Commanding for Jammu and Kashmir. His extensive staff experience includes roles such as Operational Staff Officer at a Command Headquarters, Air Commodore (Personnel Officers-1) at Air HQ, and Deputy Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, among various other positions. Before his current appointment, Air Marshal Singh served as the Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ Eastern Air Command in Shillong, Meghalaya. His exceptional service has been recognized with the Vayu Sena Medal in 2007 and the Ati Vishist Seva Medal in 2022, awarded by the President of India.

In a related move, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has taken over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command. Commissioned into the fighter stream on December 6, 1986, Air Marshal Dixit is an accomplished experimental test pilot and qualified flying instructor with over 3,300 flying hours. He is also an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College (Bangladesh), and the National Defence College. Air Marshal Dixit has a distinguished career marked by significant operational and staff roles. His experience includes commanding a squadron re-equipped with advanced Mirage aircraft and leading a front-line fighter air base in the Western Sector. He has also played a key role in numerous operations and exercises such as ‘Op Safed Sagar’ and ‘Op Rakshak’.

During his previous tenure, Air Marshal Dixit spearheaded several innovative projects focused on future technologies and modernization efforts within the IAF, emphasizing ‘Atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance). His new responsibilities will focus on ensuring the operational readiness of the Central Air Command and achieving the IAF’s strategic objectives. His service has also been honored with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vayu Sena Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal by the President of India.