Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit formally took over as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) of the Indian Air Force on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Commencing his tenure with solemn tradition, the new Air Chief paid homage to the nation’s fallen heroes at the National War Memorial in New Delhi, followed by inspecting an impressive ceremonial Guard of Honour at Air Force Station New Delhi.
A highly distinguished Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor with more than 3,500 hours of flying experience, Air Chief Marshal Dixit brings a wealth of operational expertise to the top post. Prior to assuming command, he served in several critical strategic leadership roles, including Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at HQ IDS, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command, and Vice Chief of the Air Staff.
The ‘VAYU’ Vision for a Future-Ready IAF
In his inaugural address to the force, Air Chief Marshal Dixit unveiled ‘VAYU’—a strategic roadmap designed to guide the Indian Air Force’s modernisation, operational doctrine, and combat readiness in an evolving geopolitical landscape.
The acronym outlines four core pillars:
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V – Vigilance, Victory, and Readiness: Maintaining peak operational preparedness across all sectors while prioritising the restoration of combat strength to sanctioned levels.
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A – Aatmanirbharta: Accelerating the indigenisation of platforms, sensors, weapons, and technologies to achieve self-reliance and sustained battlefield resilience.
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Y – Yukti: Driving innovation in military doctrine and technology—specifically harnessing AI-enabled command and control systems, counter-drone networks, and capabilities in emerging operational domains.
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U – Unity of Effort: Fostering deeper jointness with the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and national defence agencies, aligning with the national directive of JAI (Jointness, Aatmanirbharta, and Innovation).
Under the ‘VAYU’ framework, the 29th Air Chief has charted a decisive course to transform the IAF into a technologically advanced, self-reliant, and seamlessly integrated force capable of deterring conflict and safeguarding national interests across all domain threats.
