Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh Appointed as Next Chief of Air Staff, To Lead IAF From September 30

New Delhi, India- Government of India has officially appointed Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh, PVSM, AVSM, currently serving as Vice Chief of Air Staff, as next Chief of Air Staff of Indian Air Force (IAF). Air Marshal Singh will take over from present Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, PVSM, AVSM, VM, C, who is set to retire on September 30, 2024. Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh will assume his new role as Air Chief Marshal on same day.  

Born on October 27, 1964, Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh was commissioned into fighter pilot stream of Indian Air Force in December 1984. Over his distinguished career of nearly 40 years, Air Marshal Singh has served in multiple roles across command, staff, instructional, and international appointments, proving his expertise in both operational and ministrative aspects of Air Force.  

An alumnus of prestigious National Defence Acemy ( NDA ), Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), and National Defence College (NDC), Air Marshal Singh is also a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot. His vast flying experience exceeds 5,000 hours on both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, reflecting his versatility as a pilot.  

Officer Well-versed in Command and Leership Roles 

Air Marshal Singh has held command roles that underscore his leership and tactical expertise. He has commanded an operational fighter squron and a frontline air base, demonstrating his proficiency in fighter operations and his ability to le and inspire.

One of his key contributions to modernization of IAF was his role as leer of MiG-29 Upgre Project Management Team in Moscow, Russia, where he oversaw critical upgres to one of IAF’s frontline fighter aircraft. His work in this role helped to significantly enhance operational capabilities of Indian Air Force.  

As a Project Director (Flight Test) at National Flight Test Centre, Air Marshal Singh was also deeply involved in indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas program. He played a pivotal role in flight testing phase of LCA, ensuring its operational reiness for induction into IAF.  

Key Staff Appointments 

Apart from his operational command roles, Air Marshal Singh has held several high-ranking staff appointments, furr enhancing his credentials as a strategic leer. He served as Air Defence Commander at South Western Air Command, where he was responsible for IAF’s air defence operations in a critical geographical region. He also held position of Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Eastern Air Command, overseeing operations in strategically significant eastern sector.

Prior to his current appointment as Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Singh served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of Central Air Command. In this role, he provided operational leership and strategic direction to air force units in central India, an area of immense importance for national security.  

Next Chief of Air Staff 

As Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh will be responsible for leing Indian Air Force at a critical juncture, overseeing its modernization efforts, operational reiness, and expansion of capabilities in both tritional and emerging domains. His deep experience in fighter operations, flight testing, and leership roles in IAF’s modernization programs will serve as valuable assets as Air Force faces evolving security challenges.

Air Marshal Singh will also play a vital role in continuing IAF’s ongoing focus on indigenization, working closely with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and or domestic defence industries to furr bolster India’s self-reliance in defence production.