Change finally came when Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh took over as Chief of the Air Staff after Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari. Prior to that, he had been Vice Chief of the Air Staff since February 2023. Born on October 27, 1964, he joined the Indian Air Force in 1984 as a fighter pilot.
He is one of the most distinguished officers with nearly 40 years of service in command, instructional, and international assignments. He has rich experience both in the operational and developmental aspects of the Air Force. A very proud alumnus of National Defence Academy and Defence Services Staff College besides National Defence College, he is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot. His flying career has a record of over 5,000 hours on various fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.
Some of his key operational appointments include commanding an operational fighter squadron and being the commander of a frontline air base. He has also been the Director of the MiG-29 Upgrade Project in Moscow and Project Director (Flight Test) at the National Flight Test Centre, where he has had a key role in the flight testing of the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. He has also held the following positions as part of his leadership experience: Air Defence Commander at South Western Air Command and the Senior Air Staff Officer at the Eastern Air Command. Prior to that, he was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command.
With distinguished service to the Indian Air Force, he has been awarded elite accolades, including the “Param Vishisht Seva” Medal and the “Ati Vishisht Seva” Medal, and many more; these epitomize dedication and hard work towards perfection.
Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh will take over at a time when the Indian Air Force is busy putting together its modernization efforts, hard toiling to earnestly address threats from the security front on the global landscape. His vision for the integration of advanced technologies and professional preparedness will undoubtedly take IAF to new heights. His vigorous advocacy for international collaborations and strategic partnerships will be critical to this end toward enhancing the defense posture of India. As he takes this strategic role, Air Chief Marshal Singh is surely bound to take the IAF toward better defense preparedness and operational excellence amidst profound changes in the global security landscape.