Air Marshal Dixit appointed as next IAF Vice Chief

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, the current Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of Air Staff. He will take charge on July 1.Considered to be an ace fighter and test pilot, Air Marshal Dixit has played a significant role in enhancing the jointness of the tri-services as the Ministry of Defence pushes for early rollout of theaterisation. During his different stints in the Air Headquarters, he has also aggregated efforts towards indigenous fighter projects, besides playing a role in force modernisation.He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 06, 1986 after passing out from the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. The Air Marshal has done Defence Services Staff College (Bangladesh) and National Defence College, New Delhi.He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and Experimental Test Pilot with over 3,300 hours of flying experience on over 20 types of aircraft, including Mirage-2000, MiG-21 & Jaguar.During his tenure commanding a premier Fighter Training Base in the Southern Sector, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit’s leadership earned the base the distinction of being named the best in the Command. Later, as a test pilot and Commanding Officer of the Flight Test Squadron at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru, he spearheaded numerous indigenous development and upgrade programs, including avionics enhancements for the Jaguar and MiG-27. Additionally, as Director of Air Staff Requirements, he was instrumental in planning and executing the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft trials.Published on June 5, 2026