Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit appointed next Indian Air Force Vice Chief, to assume charge on July 1

Ace fighter pilot and test pilot Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and will assume charge on July 1. He is currently serving as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.

Air Marshal Dixit has played a key role in strengthening jointness among the armed forces as India moves towards greater integration and theatre-based command structures. He has also been actively involved in promoting indigenous fighter aircraft projects and supporting modernisation initiatives within the Air Force.

Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986, he is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Defence Services Staff College, and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor as well as an Experimental Test Pilot, with more than 3,300 hours of flying experience on over 20 types of aircraft, including Mirage-2000, MiG-21, and Jaguar.

Over the course of his career, Air Marshal Dixit has held several important operational and staff appointments. He previously commanded a premier Fighter Training Base in the Southern Sector, which was later adjudged the best base in the Command under his leadership.

As Commanding Officer of the Flight Test Squadron at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment in Bengaluru, he contributed significantly to indigenous upgrade programmes, including avionics improvements for Jaguar and MiG-27 aircraft. In his role as Director of Air Staff Requirements, he was also involved in planning and executing trials for the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft project.

His appointment as Vice Chief comes at a time when the Indian Air Force is focusing on capability enhancement, indigenous development, and greater inter-service coordination.