He assumed the office on 1 July 2021 succeeding Air Marshal Amit Tiwari.

[4][5][6] Richard John Duckworth was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force on 29 May, 1983.

In a distinguished career spanning 38 years, he has flown a variety of fighter and trainer aircraft with more than 3000 hours of operational flying.

As an Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Technical Intelligence).

[7] He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and has flown MiG-21 and MiG-29 fighter aircraft and has commanded a Mig-21 squadron on a front line base.