Chief of the Air Staff (India)

2021-08-21T14:18:24Z

2405:204:5481:D598:0:0:111E:60AD: Replaced VSM to VM

{{EngvarB|date=April 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Chief
| body = the Air Staff
| native_name =
| insignia =
| insigniasize =
| insigniacaption =
| flag = Flag of the Chief of Air Staff and Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force.svg
| flagsize = 150px
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption = Flag of the Chief of the Air Staff
| image = Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria PVSM AVSM VM ADC took over as the Chief of the Air Staff on 30 September 2019.jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| incumbent = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]] [[Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria]], <br>{{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM|ADC}}
| acting =
| incumbentsince = 30 September 2019
| department = {{air force|India}}
| style =
| type =
| status =
| abbreviation = CAS
| member_of = [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Council]]
| reports_to = [[File:Flag of India.svg|20px]][[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] <br/>[[File:Flag of the Ministry of Defence of India.svg|20px]][[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]<br/>[[File:Flag of Chief of Defence Staff (India).svg|20px]][[Chief of Defence Staff (India)|Chief of Defence Staff]]
| residence =
| seat = [[Secretariat Building, New Delhi|Central Secretariat]]
| nominator =
| appointer = [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]] (ACC)
| appointer_qualified =
| termlength = {{raise|0.0em|3 years or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.}}
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument = [https://mod.gov.in/sites/default/files/AFAct.pdf Air Force Act, 1950 (Act No. 45 of 1950)]
| precursor = Air Officer Commanding, Royal Indian Air Force
| formation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1950|01|26}}
| first = [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] [[Sir]] [[Thomas Elmhirst]]
| last =
| abolished =
| succession =
| unofficial_names =
| deputy = [[Vice Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Vice Chief of Air Staff]]
| salary = {{INRConvert|250000}} monthly<ref name="7 Pay Commission Report">{{cite web|url=http://7cpc.india.gov.in/pdf/sevencpcreport.pdf|title=Report of the 7th Central Pay Commission of India|publisher=Seventh Central [[Pay Commission]], [[Government of India]]|format=PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120092637/http://7cpc.india.gov.in/pdf/sevencpcreport.pdf|archive-date=20 November 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref><ref name=":India Today 7CPC">{{Cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/7th-pay-commission-cleared-what-is-pay-commission-how-does-it-effect-our-pockets/1/703452.html|title=7th Pay Commission cleared: What is the Pay Commission? How does it affect salaries?|date=June 29, 2016|editor-last=Biswas|editor-first=Shreya|website=[[India Today]]|access-date=September 24, 2017}}</ref>
| website = [https://indianairforce.nic.in/content/chief-air-staff Official website]
}}

The '''Chief of the Air Staff''' is the [[chief of staff|head]] of [[military staff]] of the [[Indian Air Force]]. The CAS is the leader of the governing body of the Air Force, and is usually the highest ranking officer of the Air Force unless the [[Chief of Defence Staff (India)|Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces]] is taken as an officer of the aerial branch of the armed forces.<ref>{{cite web | title = Ex-Chiefs Gallery | url = http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_exchief_page.php?pg_id=19 | access-date = 2014-08-16 | publisher = Indian Air Force | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140403061917/http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_exchief_page.php?pg_id=19 | archive-date = 3 April 2014 | df = dmy-all }}</ref> The position is abbreviated as '''CAS''' in the Indian Air Force cables and communication, and is always held by a [[Four-star rank|full]] [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]] since 1966. The chief is directly responsible for leading the Indian Air Force as the chief military adviser on aerial affairs. They are responsible for coordinating and chairing the military air staff of the Air force and ultimately are subject to the Chief of Defence and the [[government of India]].

The current CAS is [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]] [[Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria]] who took office on 30 September 2019, following the retirement of [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]] [[Birender Singh Dhanoa]].<ref>{{cite tweet|user=IAF_MCC|title=Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, took over as 26th Chief of the Indian Air Force today. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of IAF in Jun 1980.|number=1178538245006618624|date=2019-09-30}}</ref>

==Office of the Chief of Air Staff==
At Independence, the head of the Air Force designated as the "'''Air Marshal Commanding, Royal Indian Air Force'''". On 1 March 1948, the title of "Chief of the Air Staff" was added,<ref>{{cite web|title=Press Communique|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1948-JAN-JUNE-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1948-02-28_119.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=28 February 1948|access-date=16 February 2020}}</ref> with a further re-designation to "'''Chief of the Air Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Air Force'''" on 21 June to maintain uniformity across the three armed services.<ref>{{cite web|title=Press Communique|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1948-JAN-JUNE-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1948-06-21_287.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=21 June 1948|access-date=16 February 2020}}</ref>

The "Royal" designation was dropped when India became a republic on 26 January 1950. Thus re-designating the head of IAF to "'''Chief of the Air Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Air Force'''".

The '''Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955''' re-designated the head of IAF to "'''Chief of Air Staff'''". The position was held by a [[three-star rank]]ed [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] until 1966, when the position was upgraded to the [[four-star rank]] of an [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]].

Appointments to the office are made by the [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]] (ACC). The CAS reaches [[superannuation]] upon three years in the office or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.

==Appointees==
{{See also|RAF India#Commanders}}

The following tables chronicle the appointees to the office of the Chief of the Air Staff or its preceding positions since the [[independence of India]].<ref name=br-airchiefs>{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Personnel/Chiefs.html|title=Chiefs of Air Staff|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=18 January 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226085208/http://bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Personnel/Chiefs.html|archive-date=26 December 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

(**''Seconded from the [[Royal Air Force]]'')

===Air Marshal Commanding, Royal Indian Air Force (1947–1948)===
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| image_title = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Name
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Thomas Elmhirst|Sir Thomas Elmhirst]] {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=75%|sep=,|CB|KBE|AFC}}
| officeholder_sort = Elmhirst, Thomas
| officeholder_note = {{efn|name=RAF}}
| born_year = 1895
| died_year = 1982
| term_start = 15 August 1947
| term_end = 20 June 1948
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1947|08|15|1948|06|20}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

===Chief of the Air Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Air Force (1948–1950)===
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| image_title = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Name
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Thomas Elmhirst|Sir Thomas Elmhirst]] {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=75%|sep=,|CB|KBE|AFC}}
| officeholder_sort = Elmhirst, Thomas
| officeholder_note = {{efn|name=RAF}}
| born_year = 1895
| died_year = 1982
| term_start = 21 June 1948
| term_end = 25 January 1950
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1948|06|21|1950|01|25}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

===Chief of the Air Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Air Force (1950–1955)===
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| image_title = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Name
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Thomas Elmhirst|Sir Thomas Elmhirst]] {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=75%|sep=,|KBE|CB|AFC}}
| officeholder_sort = Elmhirst, Thomas
| officeholder_note = {{efn|name=RAF}}<ref>[http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Personnel/Chiefs.html Chiefs of the Indian Air Force 1947 to Present] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226085208/http://bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Personnel/Chiefs.html |date=26 December 2013 }}</ref>
| born_year = 1895
| died_year = 1982
| term_start = 26 January 1950
| term_end = 23 February 1950
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1950|01|26|1950|02|23}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 2
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman|Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman]] {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=75%|sep=,|KBE|CB|DFC|AFC}}
| officeholder_sort = Ivelaw-Chapman, Ronald
| officeholder_note = {{efn|name=RAF|Seconded from the Royal Air Force}}
| born_year = 1899
| died_year = 1978
| term_start = 23 February 1950
| term_end = 9 December 1951
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1950|02|23|1951|12|09}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 3
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Gerald Gibbs (RAF officer)|Gerald Ernest Gibbs]] {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=75%|sep=,|CIE|CBE|MC2}}
| officeholder_sort = Gibbs, Gerald
| officeholder_note = {{efn|name=RAF}}
| born_year = 1896
| died_year = 1992
| term_start = 10 December 1951
| term_end = 31 March 1954
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1951|12|10|1954|03|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 4
| image = SubrotoMukherjee.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Subroto Mukerjee]] {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=75%|sep=,|OBE}}
| officeholder_sort = Mukerjee, Subroto
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1911
| died_year = 1960
| term_start = 1 April 1954
| term_end = 31 March 1955
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1954|03|31|1955|03|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

===Chief of the Air Staff (1955–present)===
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| image_title = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Name
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 4
| image = SubrotoMukherjee.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Subroto Mukerjee]] {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=75%|sep=,|OBE}}
| officeholder_sort = Mukerjee, Subroto
| born_year = 1911
| died_year = 1960
| died = y
| term_start = 1 April 1955
| term_end = 8 November 1960
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1955|04|01|1960|11|08}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 5
| image = Air Marshal Aspy Engineer.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Aspy Engineer|Aspy Merwan Engineer]] {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=75%|sep=,|DFC}}
| officeholder_sort = Engineer, Aspy
| born_year = 1912
| died_year = 2002
| term_start = 1 December 1960
| term_end = 31 July 1964
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1960|12|01|1964|07|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 6
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]] 
| officeholder = [[Arjan Singh]] {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=75%|sep=,|DFC}}
| officeholder_sort = Singh, Arjan
| born_year = 1919
| died_year = 2017
| term_start = 1 August 1964
| term_end = 15 July 1969
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1964|08|01|1969|07|15}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 7
| image = ACM PC Lal.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Pratap Chandra Lal]] {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=75%|sep=,|DFC}}
| officeholder_sort = Lal, Pratap
| born_year = 1916
| died_year = 1982
| term_start = 16 July 1969
| term_end = 15 January 1973
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1969|07|15|1973|01|15}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 8
| image = ACM OP Mehra.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Om Prakash Mehra]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM}}
| officeholder_sort = Mehra, Om
| born_year = 1919
| died_year = 2015
| term_start = 16 January 1973
| term_end = 31 January 1976
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1973|01|16|1976|01|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 9
| image = ACM H Moolgavkar.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Hrushikesh Moolgavkar]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|MVC}}
| officeholder_sort = Moolgavkar, Hrushikesh
| born_year = 1920
| died_year = 2015
| term_start = 1 February 1976
| term_end = 30 August 1978
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1976|02|01|1978|09|30}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 10
| image = ACM IH Latif.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Idris Hasan Latif]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM}}
| officeholder_sort = Latif, Idris
| born_year = 1923
| died_year = 2018
| term_start = 1 September 1978
| term_end = 30 August 1981
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1978|09|01|1981|09|30}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 11
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Dilbagh Singh]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM}}
| officeholder_sort = Singh, Dilbagh
| born_year = 1926
| died_year = 2001
| term_start = 1 September 1981
| term_end = 3 September 1984
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1981|09|01|1984|09|03}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 12
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Lakshman Madhav Katre]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM}}
| officeholder_sort = Katre, Lakshman
| born_year = 1926
| died_year = 1985
| died = y
| term_start = 3 September 1984
| term_end = 1 July 1985
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1984|09|03|1985|07|01}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 13
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Denis La Fontaine|Denis Anthony La Fontaine]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM}}
| officeholder_sort = Fontaine, Denis
| born_year = 1929
| died_year = 2011
| term_start = 3 July 1985
| term_end = 31 July 1988
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1985|07|03|1988|07|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 14
| image = ACM S K Mehra.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Surinder Mehra|Surinder Kumar Mehra]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM}}
| officeholder_sort = Mehra, Surinder
| born_year = 1932
| died_year = 2003
| term_start = 1 August 1988
| term_end = 31 July 1991
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1988|08|01|1991|07|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 15
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Nirmal Chandra Suri]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Suri, Nirmal
| born_year = 1933
| died_year =
| term_start = 31 July 1991
| term_end = 31 July 1993
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1991|07|31|1993|07|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 16
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[S. K. Kaul|Swaroop Krishna Kaul]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|MVC|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Kaul, Swaroop
| born_year = 1935
| died_year =
| term_start = 1 August 1993
| term_end = 31 December 1995
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1993|08|01|1995|12|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 17
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Satish Kumar Sareen]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Sareen, Satish
| born_year = 1939
| died_year =
| term_start = 31 December 1995
| term_end = 31 December 1998
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1995|12|31|1998|12|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 18
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Anil Yashwant Tipnis]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Tipnis, Anil
| born_year = 1940
| died_year =
| term_start = 31 December 1998
| term_end = 31 December 2001
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1998|12|31|2001|12|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 19
| image = ACM S Krishnaswamy.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM}}
| officeholder_sort = Krishnaswamy, Srinivasapuram
| born_year = 1943
| died_year =
| term_start = 31 December 2001
| term_end = 31 December 2004
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2001|12|31|2004|12|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 20
| image =
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Shashindra Pal Tyagi]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Tyagi, Shashindra
| born_year = 1945
| died_year =
| term_start = 31 December 2004
| term_end = 31 March 2007
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2004|12|31|2007|03|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 21
| image = Fali Homi Major.JPG
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Fali Homi Major]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|SC|VM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Major, Fali
| born_year = 1947
| died_year =
| term_start = 31 March 2007
| term_end = 31 May 2009
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2007|03|31|2009|05|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 22
| image = The Chief of the Air Staff, Royal Air Force UK, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton handing over Memento to Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik on goodwill visit to UK, from March 15 to March 18, 2010 (cropped).jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Pradeep Vasant Naik]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|VSM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Naik, Pradeep
| born_year = 1949
| died_year =
| term_start = 31 May 2009
| term_end = 31 July 2011
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2009|05|31|2011|07|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 23
| image = The Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal N.A.K. Browne has been named as the new Chief of Air Staff, who will take over from Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik on his retirement on July 31, 2011.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Norman Anil Kumar Browne]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Browne, Norman
| born_year = 1951
| died_year =
| term_start = 31 July 2011
| term_end = 31 December 2013
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2011|07|31|2013|12|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 24
| image = ACM Arup Raha.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Arup Raha]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Raha, Arup
| born_year = 1954
| died_year =
| term_start = 31 December 2013
| term_end = 31 December 2016
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2013|12|31|2016|12|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 25
| image = ACM BS Dhanoa.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Birender Singh Dhanoa]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|YSM|VM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Dhanoa, Birender
| born_year = 1957
| died_year =
| term_start = 31 December 2016
| term_end = 30 September 2019
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2016|12|31|2019|09|30}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 26
| image = Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria PVSM AVSM VM ADC took over as the Chief of the Air Staff on 30 September 2019.jpg
| military_rank = [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]
| officeholder = [[Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VM|ADC}}
| officeholder_sort = Bhadauria, Rakesh
| born_year =1959
| died_year =
| term_start = 30 September 2019
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2019|09|30}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

==See also==
* [[Vice Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Air Staff]]
* [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]]
* [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of the Naval Staff]]
* [[Chief of Defence Staff (India)|Chief of Defence Staff]]
* [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee]]
* [[Chief of Integrated Defence Staff]]
* [[Chief of the General Staff (India)|Chief of the General Staff]]
* [[Commander-in-Chief, India|Commander-in-Chief of India]]
* [[List of serving air marshals of the Indian Air Force]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070204030745/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/Air-Chiefs/index.html Chiefs of the Indian Air Force]

==External links==
* {{cite web | title = Chief of The Air Staff | publisher = Indian Air Force | url = http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_page.php?pg_id=18 | access-date = 16 August 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180217061546/http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_page.php?pg_id=18 | archive-date = 17 February 2018 | url-status = dead }}

{{Chief of the Air Staff (India)}}
{{Military of India}}
{{Indian Air Force}}
{{Chief of the air force by country}}

[[Category:Chiefs of Air Staff (India)| ]]
[[Category:Air force chiefs of staff|India]]
[[Category:Indian military appointments]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force appointments]]

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Chief of the Air Staff (India)