Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit takes over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM, assumed office as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force on 1 July 2026. One of the Indian Air Force’s most accomplished fighter pilots and senior leaders, Air Marshal Dixit brings to the appointment nearly four decades of distinguished military service, combining extensive operational experience, strategic leadership and expertise in capability development. His elevation to the post reflects his exceptional contributions to air power, force modernisation and joint military integration.
Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 6 December 1986, Air Marshal Dixit is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Command and Staff College, Bangladesh, and the National Defence College, India. Throughout his illustrious career, he has consistently demonstrated outstanding professionalism, technical competence and operational excellence while serving in a wide range of command, staff and instructional appointments. His vast experience has significantly contributed to strengthening the operational capability and combat preparedness of the Indian Air Force.
A highly accomplished aviator, Air Marshal Dixit has logged more than 3,500 hours of flying across an impressive range of aircraft. His flying experience spans frontline fighters, transport aircraft and advanced trainer platforms, including the Mirage-2000, various MiG variants, HPT-32, An-32, Avro, Kiran, Jaguar, IL-78, Hawk and the indigenous Tejas. As an Experimental Test Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor, he has played a significant role in aircraft evaluation, flight testing, operational conversion and the professional training of fighter pilots, contributing to the advancement of aviation standards within the Indian Air Force.
Throughout his distinguished service, Air Marshal Dixit has actively participated in several major military operations and multinational exercises. His operational experience includes participation in Operation Safed Sagar during the Kargil conflict, Operation Rakshak, the Indo-US air exercise Cope India and the recently conducted Operation Sindoor. These assignments have provided him with extensive exposure to combat operations, air defence, tactical planning and joint military operations across varied operational scenarios.
During his career, Air Marshal Dixit has held numerous important command appointments that have strengthened frontline operational capabilities. As the Commanding Officer of No. 9 Squadron, he successfully oversaw its re-equipment with the Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft, significantly enhancing its combat potential. He later commanded a frontline fighter air base in the Western Sector and subsequently led one of the Indian Air Force’s premier fighter training bases in the Southern Sector, where he played an important role in operational readiness and pilot training.
His staff and instructional appointments have been equally distinguished. Air Marshal Dixit served as a Directing Staff at the Air Force Test Pilots School, where he contributed to the training of future experimental test pilots. At Air Headquarters, he held the important appointment of Principal Director Air Staff Requirements, where he was closely involved in capability planning and future force requirements. His subsequent senior appointments included Air Defence Commander at Southern Air Command, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects), Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans), Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters South Western Air Command and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff. These assignments enabled him to contribute significantly to operational planning, force modernisation, infrastructure development and long-term capability enhancement of the Indian Air Force.
Prior to assuming office as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Dixit served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command, where he oversaw one of the Indian Air Force’s key operational commands responsible for air defence and strategic readiness. He subsequently served as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff. In this important tri-service appointment, he championed greater jointness and integration among the Armed Forces, facilitating the development of multiple joint doctrines, operational orders and several initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s defence preparedness across all domains.
In recognition of his exceptional service to the nation, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been decorated with the Vayu Sena Medal (VM) in 2006, the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2011, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2023 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) in 2026. These prestigious honours acknowledge his distinguished leadership, operational excellence and sustained contributions to national defence. He succeeds Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, SYSM, PVSM, AVSM, VM, as Vice Chief of the Air Staff following the latter’s superannuation on 30 June 2026, and is well positioned to guide the Indian Air Force in advancing operational readiness, technological transformation and joint military capability in an evolving security environment.
Indian Bureaucracy News wishes Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit the very best.