India's new Air Force chief: a pilot who flew Tejas

Has the new chief outlined what he has planned for his tenure?

No. Air Marshal Dixit has not outlined a public plan for his tenure. The Defence Ministry's notification only says his experience is expected to support the government's focus on self-reliance in defence. As an experimental test pilot who championed the indigenous Tejas fighter, observers expect he will prioritise accelerating that programme, which is behind schedule and central to closing India's fighter gap. That is a judgement, not an announced agenda.

How long does an Air Marshal serve for?

The Defence Ministry's notification sets Air Marshal Dixit's tenure from October 31, 2026, to December 31, 2028, roughly 26 months. That fixed end date is standard practice: India's Air Force chief serves a set term rather than an open-ended appointment, with the government naming a successor when it ends.

Is there anyone how ranks higher than the Air Marshal in the military hierarchy of India?

Yes. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces. And only Marshal of the Air Force, a five-star rank, outranks the Air Chief Marshal. That rank has been given just once: to Arjan Singh, a former Air Chief Marshal, in 2002. So within the Air Force itself, an Air Marshal has one rank above him, the Air Chief Marshal.