Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit appointed as IAF Vice Chief, to take charge on July 1
New Delhi, June 5
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit was appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force on Friday.
The distinguished officer is a test pilot, flying instructor and also a fighter combat leader with more than 3300 hours of flying experience across various fighter jets, including the MiG-21, HAWK and Jaguar. He is currently serving as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff.
The distinguished officer will take charge as the Indian Air Force's next Vice Chief on July 1.
In a career spanning over more than three decades, the decorated officer played a key role in the promotion of indigenous projects within the Indian Air Force (IAF) and also the modernisation of the force, during various assignments at the Air Headquarters.
Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 06, 1986, he is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (Khadakwasla). He is a qualified flying instructor and test pilot with over 3,300 hours of flying experience on over 20 types of aircraft, including Mirage-2000, MiG-21 & Jaguar.
He commanded a premier fighter training base in the Southern Sector, leading it to be adjudged as the best in the Command during his tenure.
Over the years, the Air Marshal has held a variety of Command, Staff & Instructional appointments, and has been conferred with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal & Vayu Sena Medal for his distinguished services.
As a test pilot and later Commanding Officer of the Flight Test Squadron at Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment, he was involved in several indigenous upgrades and development programmes, including the avionics upgrades for Jaguar & MiG-27.
As Director of Air Staff Requirements, he played a key role in the planning and conduct of the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft trials.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good appointment, but I wish we gave more prominence to our homegrown projects instead of foreign procurement. At least this Air Marshal has a track record of supporting indigenous upgrades like Jaguar avionics. We need more such leaders who believe in Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Heartening to see such a highly qualified officer take the role—test pilot, flying instructor, over 3,300 hours on 20+ aircraft types. Just the kind of experience we need at IAF HQ. But also hoping he focuses on improving aircrew retention and boosting morale in the squadrons. 🙏
Impressive credentials and a deserving promotion. The IAF continues to produce world-class leaders. However, I think more emphasis should be placed on integrating newer technologies like drones and AI into force planning rather than just fighter upgrades. Still, a solid choice!
A distinguished career indeed—starting from NDA to being Chief of Integrated Defence Staff. I hope he brings that same energy to his new role and pushes for more jointness among the three services. And yes, let's see truly indigenous fighter projects take off under his watch. 😊
With 3300+ hours on over 20 types, including the MiG-21 and Mirage-2000, he knows the fleet inside out. The experience in MMRCA trials is also critical as we look for a medium fighter. But I wish the article mentioned his plans for addressing the squadron strength shortage. That's still our biggest challenge.
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