On Monday, September 30, 2024, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh took over as Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) in a ceremony at Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan).
The CAS was commissioned on December 21, 1984, in the IAF’s fighter stream.
He graduated from the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College, and the National Defence College.
He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and Experimental Test Pilot with over 5000 hours of experience flying a variety of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.
His operational assignments include Commanding Officer of a MiG-27 Squadron and Air Officer Commanding an air base. As a test pilot, he led the Mig 29 Upgrade Project Management Team in Moscow, Russia. He also served as Project Director (Flight Test) at the National Flight Test Centre, where he oversaw Tejas flight testing.
During his four-decade career, the CAS held positions as Air Defence Commander at HQ South Western Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command. Prior to becoming Chief of the Air Staff, he served as Vice Chief.
The CAS has received both the Param VishishtSeva Medal (PVSM) and the Ati VishishtSeva Medal. In his address to the IAF, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh stated that he is honored and privileged to have been given the responsibility of leading the Indian Air Force. CAS extended greetings to all Air Warriors, Non Combatants (Enrolled), DSC personnel, civilians, and their families, expressing complete faith and confidence in their unwavering support and dedication to keeping the IAF’s operational capability at an all-time high.
He expressed heartfelt appreciation for the vision of air veterans and attributed the IAF’s success to their superior efforts and dynamic leadership. Highlighting specific focus areas toward building a ‘Sashakt,
Saksham, an Aṭamnirbhar’ IAF, urged the Commanders to adopt a nurturing leadership style and enhance cohesion and jointness. He called for attention to the current uncertain geopolitical situation, saying, “It is critical that the IAF remains operationally capable, ever vigilant, and a credible deterrent.”
The CAS urged all air warriors to uphold the great service’s traditions and ensure that we all “Touch the Sky with Glory”.