Director General Air Operations

Director General of Air Operations
Flag of an Air Marshal
Incumbent
Air Marshal Joseph Suares
YSM VM
since 1 May 2025
 Indian Air Force
TypeDirector General
AbbreviationDGAO
Reports toVice Chief of the Air Staff
SeatAir Headquarters, New Delhi
First holderAir Marshal Dinesh Chandra Kumaria

The Director General Air Operations (DGAO) is a senior appointment in the Indian Air Force. The DGAO is responsible for planning, executing, and overseeing all operational aspects of the Indian Air Force. The office is held by a three star officer in the rank of Air Marshal. The current DGAO is Air Marshal Joseph Suares who took over on 1 May 2026.

History

At the time of independence of India, on 15 August 1947, Group Captain Mehar Singh was appointed the head of the operations directorate at Air headquarters and designated Group Captain (Operations).[1]

Around 1962, the directorate was split into two separate entities: the Directorate of Transport & Maritime and the Directorate of Fighters & Bombers. In July 1970, a new post of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) (ACAS (Ops)) was created, with the rank of Air Vice Marshal. Directorates, including Air Defence, Offensive Operations, Transport & Maritime reported into the ACAS (Ops). In 2009, this role was elevated to three-star rank and re-designated Director General (Air Operations). Air Marshal Dinesh Chandra Kumaria took over as the first DGAO on 12 March 2009.[2]

Appointees

S.No. Name Assumed office Left office Notes
1 Air Marshal Dinesh Chandra Kumaria AVSM VM VSM 12 March 2009 30 June 2009 Later served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff.
2 Air Marshal Anjan Gogoi AVSM VSM 1 July 2009 31 December 2010 Later served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief South Western Air Command.[3]
3 Air Marshal Daljit Singh AVSM VM 1 January 2011 28 February 2013 Later served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief South Western Air Command.[4]
4 Air Marshal Shirish Baban Deo AVSM VM VSM 1 March 2013 31 December 2014 Later served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff.[5]
5 Air Marshal Anil Khosla AVSM VM 12 January 2015 21 August 2016 Later served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff.[6]
6 Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora AVSM 22 August 2016 30 September 2018 Later served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff.[7]
7 Air Marshal Amit Dev VSM 1 October 2018 31 October 2018 Later served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command.[8]
8 Air Marshal Balabhadra Radha Krishna AVSM SC 1 November 2018 30 June 2021 Later served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command.[9]
9 Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha AVSM VSM 1 July 2021 31 December 2022 Later served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command.[10]
10 Air Marshal Surat Singh AVSM VM VSM 1 January 2023 30 September 2024 Later served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command.[11]
11 Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti AVSM VM 1 October 2024 31 May 2025 Current Deputy Chief of the Air Staff.[12][13][14]
12 Air Marshal George Thomas AVSM VM 1 June 2025 30 April 2026 Current Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command.[15]
13 Air Marshal Joseph Suares YSM VM 1 May 2026 Present Current DGAO.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ "RIAF Appointments" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
  2. ^ "Air Operations, Air HQ". bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
  3. ^ Tribune, The Assam (15 September 2010). "PVSM for Air Marshal Anjan Gogoi". assamtribune.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  4. ^ "Air Marshal Daljit Singh takes over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief HQ South Western Air Command". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  5. ^ "Air Marshal SB Deo takes over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff of Indian Air Force". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  6. ^ "Air marshal Anil Khosla takes over as Director General Air Operations". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  7. ^ "Air Marshal HS Arora AVSM Takes Over as Director General Air (Operations)". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  8. ^ "Air Marshal Amit Dev Appointed Director General Air (OPS)". raksha-anirveda.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  9. ^ "AIR MARSHAL BR KRISHNA AVSM SC ASSUMES THE COMMAND OF WESTERN AIR COMMAND". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  10. ^ "AIR MARSHAL PANKAJ MOHAN SINHA ASSUMES COMMAND OF IAF'S WESTERN AIR COMMAND". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  11. ^ "AIR MARSHAL PANKAJ MOHAN SINHA ASSUMES COMMAND OF IAF'S WESTERN AIR COMMAND". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  12. ^ "Indian Air Force". x.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  13. ^ Yadav, Jyoti (25 May 2025). "Sainik School to Operation Sindoor, Air Marshal Bharti is Purnea's pride. 'See! He is on TV'". ThePrint. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  14. ^ ""World Knows Whose Son Made India Proud": Air Marshal Bharti's Mother". www.ndtv.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  15. ^ "HQ IDS". x.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  16. ^ "Air Operations, Air HQ". bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
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