New Delhi, November 6, 2026: Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, accompanied by his spouse Smt Archana Dixit, called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday.
The President’s Secretariat confirmed the meeting through an official post on the X handle of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The post stated: “Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit along with spouse Smt Archana Dixit called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.” A photograph of the interaction was also shared.
Air Chief Marshal Dixit assumed charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on October 31, 2026, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who superannuated on the same day after over four decades of distinguished service. The call-on is in keeping with established protocol, under which service chiefs meet the President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces under the Constitution of India.
Smt Archana Dixit serves as President of the Air Force Families Welfare Association (AFFWA). Such interactions provide an opportunity for the senior leadership of the Indian Air Force to apprise the Supreme Commander of matters related to operational readiness, capability development, and the welfare of personnel and their families.
Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM, is a fighter pilot with more than 3,500 hours of flying experience on aircraft including the Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, Hawk, and Tejas. Commissioned into the fighter stream on December 6, 1986, he is an experimental test pilot and qualified flying instructor. He has participated in operations including Operation Safed Sagar, Operation Rakshak, and Operation Sindoor, and has held key appointments such as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, and Vice Chief of the Air Staff before taking over as Chief of the Air Staff.
On assuming office, he outlined his priorities under the guiding theme ‘VAYU’, emphasising vigilance and combat readiness (including restoration of fighter squadron strength towards sanctioned levels), Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance in platforms, sensors, and weapons), Yukti (innovation, including in emerging domains such as drones, AI, and space), and unity of effort with the other Services.
Meetings between the service chiefs and the President form a regular institutional practice that reinforces the constitutional relationship between the civil authority and the military leadership. No further details of the discussions were officially disclosed.
