The rank may also be held by the Chief of Defence Staff when the holder is a serving Indian Air Force officer.

[1] Additionally, at the height of World War II, Sir Richard Peirse, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of RAF India was also promoted to the rank.

The first IAF officer to hold this rank was Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh (later promoted to the five-star rank of marshal of the Indian Air Force) who was promoted to the rank in 1966 while he served as the Chief of the Air Staff.

The flag of an Air chief marshal is sky blue with the national flag in the canton, the roundel in lower fly, and the Indian Air Force badge in upper fly.

The term length of the Chief of the Air Staff is three years or until the age of 62 of the holder, whichever is earlier.