Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took charge as the Indian Air Force’s 29th Chief of the Air Staff on 31 October 2026. He succeeded Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who retired after more than four decades of service. On 1 November, Dixit outlined his priorities under the acronym VAYU.
Four pillars of VAYU
Vigilance and Readiness means keeping squadrons, radars, air defence units and personnel ready to respond, while restoring combat strength to sanctioned levels. Aatmanirbharta prioritises indigenous capabilities, including the Tejas Mk1A and Mk2, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), and Indian sensors and weapons.
Yukti, or ingenuity, covers innovation in doctrine, procedures and technology. Dixit identified networked, artificial intelligence-enabled command and control, layered counter-drone defence and near-space as an operational domain. Unity of effort calls for joint planning and operations with the Army, Navy and national agencies.
Changing nature of warfare
Dixit said drones, long-range precision weapons, space, cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence and the electromagnetic spectrum are reshaping warfare. He previously served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff and was commissioned into the IAF’s fighter stream in 1986.
Important Facts for Exams
- Digital flight controls: The HAL Tejas uses an in-house quadruplex digital fly-by-wire flight-control system.
- Mk1A equipment: The Tejas Mk1A adds AESA radar, a self-protection jammer and radar-warning receiver, and can carry an external electronic-countermeasures pod.
- Stealth design: The AMCA’s design is optimised for a low radar cross-section and supercruise capability.
- Prototype test roles: Of the five planned AMCA prototypes, the first three are for developmental flight trials and the remaining two focus on weapon trials.
