Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit assumes role as Vice-Chief of Air Staff

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who previously served as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) during Operation Sindoor, officially took charge as the Vice-Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, according to officials.

He succeeds Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, who retired on June 30 after a 40-year career in the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Upon assuming his new position, Air Marshal Dixit was accorded a guard of honour at Vayu Bhawan, the IAF headquarters. Prior to the ceremony, he visited the National War Memorial and laid a wreath to pay tribute to fallen soldiers.

Before his appointment as VCAS, Air Marshal Dixit served as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff at the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) in New Delhi. He took over as CISC on May 1, 2025, and relinquished the post on June 30, 2026.

The HQ IDS, in a post on X on Tuesday, highlighted his contributions during his tenure, stating: 'His tenure at HQ IDS was defined by landmark contributions that reshaped the contours of integrated defence playing a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor, a defining moment in India’s national security calculus; steering the release of 20 joint doctrines and primers that institutionalised tri services thought; conceptualising Ran Samwad 2025 and 2026, an unprecedented military dialogue platform; orchestrating the combined and joint commanders conferences 2025 and 2026; and anchoring the formulation of the Defence Forces Vision 2047 - a transformative roadmap for a technology-driven, integrated and future-ready military.'

Operation Sindoor was conducted in May 2025 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. The operation, which lasted about 88 hours from early May 7, demonstrated the integration of the three armed services, according to military officers and experts.

Air Marshal Dixit was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF in December 1986. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla; Defence Services Staff College, Bangladesh; and National Defence College, New Delhi.

The Defence Ministry has described him as a 'qualified flying instructor and experimental test pilot with over 3,300 hours of flying experience on more than 20 types of aircraft, including Mirage-2000, MiG-21 and Jaguar.'

Air Marshal Tejinder Singh is expected to be the next CISC, officials said.