Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit Becomes 51st IAF Vice Chief

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit officially assumed charge as the 51st Vice Chief of the Air Staff on July 1, 2026, stepping into the role vacated by Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, who retired on June 30, 2026, after close to four decades in the Indian Air Force. The appointment is based at Air Headquarters, New Delhi.

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit Career Profile and Achievements

Dixit's journey in the IAF goes back to December 6, 1986, when he was commissioned into the fighter stream after passing through the National Defence Academy. He's a qualified flying instructor and an experimental test pilot—not the most common combination and has clocked over 3,300 flying hours across 20-plus aircraft types, including the Mirage-2000, MiG-21, and Jaguar.

Before stepping into the vice chief's role, he served as chief of the Integrated Defence Staff from May 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. That posting sits at the heart of tri-service coordination; the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff bridges the Army, Navy, and Air Force on joint operations and doctrine. During his time there, he was involved in RanSamwad 2025 and 2026, the Combined and Joint Commanders' Conferences, and the Defence Forces Vision 2047 roadmap.

About the Vice Chief of the Air Staff Role

The Vice Chief of the Air Staff is a three-star appointment within the IAF hierarchy, functioning directly under the Chief of the Air Staff as part of the Air Headquarters structure in New Delhi