Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit will be the next Chief of Air Staff

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, a distinguished fighter pilot, has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS) and will take over on July 1. He replaces Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor.

Currently serving as the Chief of the Integrated Defense Staff (CISC), Air Marshal Dixit has played a key role in strengthening the cohesion of the armed forces and advancing efforts to create integrated command units. His tenure focused on improving coordination and operational synergy between the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Air Marshal Dixit, a seasoned officer with extensive operational and leadership experience, was also closely associated with the modernization efforts of the Indian Air Force. During various assignments at the Air Command, he made significant contributions to the promotion of indigenous fighter aircraft programs and capability enhancement initiatives.

Air Marshal Dixit, who was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 6 December 1986, is a graduate of the National Defense Academy, Khadakwasla, the Defense Services Staff College, Bangladesh, and the National Defense College, New Delhi.

Instructor and fighter pilot

A qualified flight instructor and experimental test pilot, he has accumulated more than 3,300 flight hours on more than 20 types of aircraft, including Mirage-2000, MiG-21 and Jaguar fighters.

During his distinguished career, he commanded the premier fighter training base under Southern Air Command, which earned recognition as the best base in the command during his tenure. As the flight test squadron commander at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), Bengaluru, he was actively involved in several domestic development and modernization programmes, including avionics modernization projects for the Jaguar and MiG-27 fleets.

Tests of combat aircraft

Air Marshal Dixit also served as Director of Air Staff Requirements, where he played a key role in planning and conducting trials of the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program, one of the Indian Air Force’s most significant fighter acquisition initiatives.

His appointment as Vice Chief of Air Staff comes at a crucial time as the Indian Air Force continues its efforts to modernize the force while working closely with the other services to implement a theater command structure.

Published – 05 Jun 2026 22:17 IST