Amar Preet Singh Explained

Honorific Prefix:Air Chief Marshal
Amar Preet Singh
Office:28th Chief of the Air Staff
Term Start:30 September 2024
Predecessor:Vivek Ram Chaudhari
Office1:47th Vice Chief of the Air Staff
1Blankname1:Chief of Air Staff
1Namedata1:Vivek Ram Chaudhari
Term Start1:1 February 2023
Term End1:30 September 2024
Predecessor1:Sandeep Singh
Successor1:Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar
Office2:Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
Central Air Command
1Blankname2:Chief of Air Staff
1Namedata2:Vivek Ram Chaudhari
Term Start2:1 July 2022
Term End2:31 January 2023
Predecessor2:Richard John Duckworth
Successor2:Ravi Gopal Krishana Kapoor
Birth Date:27 October 1964
Birth Place:Delhi, India
Serviceyears:21 December 1984 - Present
Rank: Air Chief Marshal
Military Blank1:Service Number
Military Data1:17695
Unit:No. 22 Squadron
Commands:
Military Blank2:Awards
Military Data2:

Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, PVSM, AVSM is a serving four star air officer of the Indian Air Force. He is the current and 28th Chief of the Air Staff.[1] He took over as the 28th CAS succeeding Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari on 30 September 2024.[2] He was previously serving as the 47th Vice Chief of the Air Staff.[3] He was previously serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Air Command,[4] prior to that he served as the Senior Air Staff Officer at the Eastern Air Command.[5]

Early life and education

The Air Officer is an alumnus of S.B.M. School, Delhi and later the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. He is also an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and National Defence College, New Delhi.[6]

Military Career

Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 21 December 1984 from the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. In a distinguished career spanning across 38 years, he has tenanted various staff and instructional appointments. He has flown a variety of fighter and trainer aircraft with more than 5000 hours of operational flying. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an experimental test pilot with service flying on a variety of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. As Wing Commander, he commanded the No. 22 squadron, then made up of the MiG-27 fighter aircraft.[7] He spearheaded the MiG-29 Upgrade Project Management Team at Moscow, Russia and was instrumental in flight testing of the HAL Tejas. He served as the Chief Test Pilot at Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment.

After being promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Project Director at National Flight Test Center, Aeronautical Development Agency and as the Air Officer Commanding of 2 Air Defence Control Centre at Gandhinagar.[8]

After being promoted to the rank of Air Marshal, he was appointed as the Senior Air Staff Officer of the Eastern Air Command at Shillong. A year later, on 1 July 2022, he took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Air Command succeeding Air Marshal Richard John Duckworth who superannuated from service on 30 June 2022.[9]

On 1 February 2023, Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh took over as the 47th Vice Chief of the Air Staff succeeding Air Marshal Sandeep Singh when the latter superannuated from service on 31 January 2023.[10] As VCAS, he was at the forefront of the largest ever multinational Air Exercise Tarang Shakti held in India that was concluded in September 2024. In a significant message on the importance and the efficiency of India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, he flew extensively during the drill including a sortie with VCOAS Lieutenant General N. S. Raja Subramani and VCNS Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan.[11]

Chief of the Air Staff

On 21 September 2024, the Government of India appointed Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh as the next Chief of the Air Staff.[12] On 30 September 2024, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh took over as the 28th Chief of the Air Staff succeeding Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari who superannuated after more than four decades of service.

Personal life

Air Marshal Singh is a keen squash player. He is married to Mrs Sarita Singh. The couple is blessed with a son and a daughter.[13]

Awards and decorations

During his career, he has been awarded with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2019[14] and Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023.[15]

Param Vishisht Seva MedalAti Vishisht Seva Medal
Samanya Seva MedalSpecial Service MedalOperation Vijay MedalOperation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva MedalHigh Altitude MedalVidesh Seva Medal75th Independence Anniversary Medal
50th Independence Anniversary Medal30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service Medal

Dates of rank

InsigniaRankComponentDate of rank
Pilot OfficerIndian Air Force21 December 1984
Flying OfficerIndian Air Force21 December 1985
Flight LieutenantIndian Air Force21 December 1989
Squadron LeaderIndian Air Force21 December 1995
Wing CommanderIndian Air Force14 May 2001
Group CaptainIndian Air Force05 Nov 2007
Air CommodoreIndian Air Force30 Dec 2010
Air Vice MarshalIndian Air Force01 Aug 2016
Air MarshalIndian Air Force1 February 2021 (AOC-in-C from 1 July 2022)
Air Chief Marshal
(CAS)
Indian Air Force 30 September 2024[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 30 September 2024 . AIR CHIEF MARSHAL AP SINGH TAKES OVER AS THE CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF . 1 October 2024 . Press Information Bureau.
  2. Web site: Service . Statesman News . 2024-09-30 . Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh takes charge as new IAF chief . 2024-09-30 . The Statesman . en.
  3. AIR MARSHAL AP SINGH ASSUMES APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF. PIB. 2023-02-01.
  4. AIR MARSHAL AP SINGH ASSUMES THE APPOINTMENT OF AOC-IN-C CENTRAL AIR COMMAND . 2022-07-01 . PIB .
  5. Web site: 2022-07-01 . Central Air Command - IAF . https://web.archive.org/web/20220730071237/https://indianairforce.nic.in/central-air-command/ . 2022-07-30 . 2022-07-30 . Indian Air Force.
  6. Web site: 2023-02-01 . Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh appointed as Vice Chief of Air Staff . 2024-09-05 . DDE .
  7. Web site: Dutta . Amrita Nayak . 2024-09-21 . Who is Air Marshal AP Singh, set to be the new Air Chief? . 2024-10-10 . The Indian Express . en.
  8. Web site: Service record - Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh . 2022-07-30 . Bharat Rakshak.
  9. Web site: 2022-07-01 . Air Marshal AP Singh takes over as CAC chief . Hindustan Times.
  10. Web site: Air Marshal AP Singh Takes Charge As Vice Chief Of Indian Air Force . 2024-09-05 . NDTV.com.
  11. Web site: 2024-09-10 . Historic flight by Vice Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force in Tejas fighter jet . 2024-09-23 . India Today . en.
  12. Web site: 2024-09-21 . Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh appointed as next Chief of the Air Staff . PIB.
  13. Web site: 2022-01-07 . Air Marshal AP Singh: सेंट्रल एयर कमांड के एओसी-इन-चीफ बने एयर मार्शल एपी सिंह, बमरौली में संभाला कार्यभार . Jagran . Hindi.
  14. Web site: 2019-01-25 . Distinguished Service and Gallantry Awards to IAF Personnel on Republic Day 2019 .
  15. President approves 412 Gallantry awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day. PIB. 2023-01-25.
  16. Web site: 2024-09-21 . Air Marshal AP Singh appointed new IAF Chief . The Tribune.