Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh Appointed Next Chief of the Air Staff

The Government appoints Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh as the next Chief of the Air Staff, effective from September 30, 2024, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari. Singh's illustrious career includes commanding various operational units and significant roles in flight testing and project management.

The Government has appointed Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh, PVSM, AVSM, currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, to be the next Chief of the Air Staff. He will assume the rank of Air Chief Marshal starting from the afternoon of September 30, 2024. This appointment follows the scheduled retirement of Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC on the same date, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defence.

Born on October 27, 1964, Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force in December 1984. Over nearly 40 years, Singh has held a multitude of Command, Staff, Instructional, and Foreign appointments, forging a highly distinguished career.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, and National Defence College, Singh is an accomplished Flying Instructor and Experimental Test Pilot with over 5,000 hours of flying experience on various aircraft. His career highlights include commanding an operational fighter squadron, a frontline airbase, and leading the MiG-29 Upgrade Project in Moscow.

Singh has also served as the Project Director (Flight Test) at the National Flight Test Centre, responsible for testing the Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas. His important staff roles include Air Defence Commander at South Western Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command. Before becoming the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, he was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command.