Ashutosh Dixit, a highly experienced fighter pilot and test aviator, has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. He is scheduled to take over the position on July 1. Currently serving as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, Air Marshal Dixit has been closely involved in strengthening coordination among India’s armed forces, particularly in the ongoing push towards military theaterisation.

Throughout his career, he has contributed significantly to the modernisation of the Air Force and has actively supported indigenous fighter aircraft development programmes during various assignments at Air Headquarters. Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986, Air Marshal Dixit is a graduate of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College in Bangladesh, and the National Defence College.

He is also a qualified flying instructor and experimental test pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours on over 20 aircraft types, including the Dassault Mirage 2000, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, and SEPECAT Jaguar. Air Marshal Dixit previously commanded a leading fighter training base in southern India, which earned recognition as the best base in its command during his tenure.

During his time at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment in Bengaluru, he served both as a test pilot and Commanding Officer of the Flight Test Squadron. He was involved in several indigenous upgrade projects, including avionics enhancement programmes for the Jaguar and MiG-27 aircraft. He also played a major role in planning and executing the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) trials while serving as Director of Air Staff Requirements.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Indian Air Force.