The Chief of the Air Staff (India), known also as the Air Force Chief, has been the title of the professional head of the
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
since 1950. The CAS is a statutory position in the
Indian Armed Forces
The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.—— Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces are supported by ...
held by the most senior officer of the Air Force, and is usually the highest ranking air officer of the
Indian Armed Forces
The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.—— Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces are supported by ...
unless the
Chief of Defence Staff is an officer of the aerial branch.
The current CAS is
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer originating from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. An air chief marshal is equivalent to an Admir ...
Vivek Ram Chaudhari
Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, is an air officer of the Indian Air Force. He currently serves as the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS). He took over as the 27th CAS succeeding Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria on 30 September 2 ...
who took office on 30 September 2021, following the retirement of
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer originating from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. An air chief marshal is equivalent to an Admir ...
Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria
Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria (born 15 September 1959), is a retired Indian Air Force officer, who served as the Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, having assumed office on 30 September 2019 after the retirem ...
.
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, 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.
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
An officer of three-star rank is a senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-8. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members. Typically, three-star officers hold the ...
ed
Air Marshal until 1966, when the position was upgraded to the
four-star rank
A four-star rank is the rank of any four-star officer described by the NATO OF-9 code. Four-star officers are often the most senior commanders in the armed services, having ranks such as (full) admiral, (full) general, colonel general, army gen ...
of an
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer originating from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. An air chief marshal is equivalent to an Admir ...
.
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
(**''Seconded from the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
'')
Commander-in-Chief, Indian Air Force (1950–1955)
Chief of the Air Staff (1955–present)
See also
*
Vice Chief of the Air Staff
*
Chief of the Army Staff
*
Chief of the Naval Staff
*
Chief of Defence Staff
*
Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
The Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (Chairman COSC) is a position in the Indian Armed Forces, usually held by a four-star officer serving as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian military. The position holder chairs the Chiefs of ...
*
Chief of Integrated Defence Staff
*
Chief of the General Staff The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is a post in many armed forces (militaries), the head of the military staff.
List
* Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( United States)
* Chief of the General Staff (Abkhazia)
* Chief of General Staff (Af ...
*
Commander-in-Chief of India
*
List of serving air marshals of the Indian Air Force
This is a list of serving Air Marshals of the Indian Air Force.
Chief of the Air Staff
The Chief of the Air Staff is the only serving Four Star Air Officer in the Indian Air Force.
Vice Chief of the Air Staff
The Vice Chief of the Air ...
Notes
References
Chiefs of the Indian Air Force
External links
*
{{Chief of the air force by country
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
Indian military appointments
Indian Air Force appointments