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Ashutosh Dixit

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Air Marshal
Ashutosh Dixit
PVSM AVSM VM VSM
51st Vice Chief of the Air Staff
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 July 2026
PresidentDroupadi Murmu
Chief of Air StaffAmar Preet Singh
Preceded byNagesh Kapoor
Chief of Integrated Defence Staff
In office
1 May 2025 – 30 June 2026
Chief of Defence StaffAnil Chauhan
N. S. Raja Subramani
Preceded byJohnson P Mathew
Succeeded byTejinder Singh
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
Central Air Command
In office
1 September 2024 – 30 April 2025
Preceded byRavi Gopal Krishana Kapoor
Succeeded byBalakrishnan Manikantan
Personal details
SpouseArchana Dixit[1]
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Air Force
Years of service
6 December 1986 – Present
Rank Air Marshal
UnitNo. 9 Squadron
Commands
Battles/warsOperation Rakshak
Kargil War
Operation Safed Sagar
Service number18558 [2]
Awards

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM is a serving officer of the Indian Air Force. He is presently serving as the 51st Vice Chief of the Air Staff.[3] He was previously serving as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff,[4] prior to that he was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Air Command.[5] He earlier served served as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff[6] and as Senior Air Staff Officer, South Western Air Command.[7][8]

Early life and education

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The air officer is an alumnus of 69th course of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla[9] and the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. He is also an alumnus of Defence Services Command and Staff College, Bangladesh and National Defence College, New Delhi.[6]

Military Career

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He was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force on 6 December 1986 from the Air Force Academy.[10] In a career spanning over three decades, he has more than 3300 hours of flying experience across various fighter jets and has held various command & staff appointments. He is an experimental test pilot, qualified flying instructor and a fighter combat leader who has flown the HPT-32, AN-32, AVRO, Kiran, Jaguar, IL-78 and HAWK. The air marshal's operational tenure include being the Commanding Officer of No. 9 Squadron.[11] He re-equipped No. 9 Sqn with Mirage-2000 and later commanded a front line fighter air base in Western Sector and Flight Test Squadron, ASTE in Bengaluru.[12] He has participated in Operation Rakshak & Operation Safed Sagar during the Kargil War.

As an Air Commodore, he served as the Principal Director, Air Staff Requirements at Air Headquarters, New Delhi[13] and later served as the Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station Bidar, Karnataka.[14] As Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Air Defence Commander, Southern Air Command,[15] as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Projects[16] and as Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Plans at the Air Headquarters, New Delhi.[17]

After being promoted to the rank of Air Marshal on 1 October 2022,[18] he assumed the appointment of Senior Air Staff Officer, South Western Air Command.[7][8] On 15 May 2023, he took over as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff succeeding Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari. He has headed several projects with the adaption of future technologies and worked towards ensuring that IAF achieves modernization while maintaining a steady focus on 'Aatmanirbharta' i.e. self reliance. A number of indigenous aircraft projects including LCA Mark-1A, Mark-2 and AMCA have seen significant forward movement during his tenure as Deputy Chief.

On 1 September 2024, Air Marshal Dixit took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Air Command succeeding Air Marshal Ravi Gopal Krishana Kapoor.[19] He relinquished the command of Central Air Command on 30 April 2025. On 1 May 2025, he assumed the appointment of Chief of Integrated Defence Staff succeeding Lieutenant General Johnson P Mathew, who superannuated on 30 April 2025.[20]

On 1 July 2026, Air Marshal Dixit took over as the 51st Vice Chief of Air Staff succeeding Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor when the latter superannuated on 30 June 2026.[3]

Personal life

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He is married to Mrs. Archana Dixit[21] and the couple is blessed with two children.[22]

Awards and decorations

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During his career, the air marshal has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2026,[23] the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023,[24] the Vayu Sena Medal in 2006 [25] and Vishisht Seva Medal in 2011.[26]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vayu Sena Medal
Vishisht Seva Medal Operation Vijay Star Operation Vijay Medal Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal High Altitude Medal Videsh Seva Medal 75th Independence Anniversary Medal
50th Independence Anniversary Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

Dates of ranks

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Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
Pilot Officer Indian Air Force 6 December 1986[10]
Flying Officer Indian Air Force 6 December 1987[11]
Flight Lieutenant Indian Air Force 6 December 1991[27]
Squadron Leader Indian Air Force 6 December 1997[11]
Wing Commander Indian Air Force 5 May 2003[28]
Group Captain Indian Air Force 1 March 2009[29]
Air Commodore Indian Air Force 17 June 2013[30]
Air Vice Marshal Indian Air Force 11 June 2019[31]
Air Marshal Indian Air Force 1 October 2022[18]

References

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  1. ↑ "CHIEF OF INTEGRATED DEFENCE STAFF TO THE CHAIRMAN CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE (CISC)". ids.nic.in.
  2. ↑ "Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit - BRF". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  3. 1 2 "Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Indian Air Force on 01 Jul 26". pib.gov.in. 1 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit assumes the appointment of CISC". PIB Delhi. 1 May 2025.
  5. ↑ "AIR MARSHAL ASHUTOSH DIXIT TAKES OVER AS AOC-IN-C CENTRAL AIR COMMAND" (Press release). PIB. 2024-09-01.
  6. 1 2 "AIR MARSHAL ASHUTOSH DIXIT TAKES OVER AS DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF" (Press release). PIB. 2023-05-15.
  7. 1 2 "Senior Air Staff Officer Appointments at South Western Air Command". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  8. 1 2 @SWAC_IAF (2023-04-21). "Yoga workshop closing ceremony was presided over by Air Mshl Ashutosh Dixit AVSM VM VSM, SASO SWAC" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ↑ "69 NDA Course". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  10. 1 2 "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)" (PDF). egazette.gov.in. p. 47. Retrieved 20 Feb 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 "Service Record of Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit 18558 F(P), Bharat Rakshak". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  12. ↑ "Flight Test Squadron, ASTE, Indian Air Force - Database". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  13. ↑ "Dte:Air Staff Requirements, Air HQ, Indian Air Force - Database". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  14. ↑ "List of Air Officer Commanding, AFS Bidar, Indian Air Force". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  15. ↑ "Air Defence Commander Appointments at Southern Air Command". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  16. ↑ "Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Projects, Air HQ, Indian Air Force". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  17. ↑ "Assistant Chief of Air Staff Plans, Air HQ". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  18. 1 2 "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)" (PDF). egazette.gov.in. p. 68. Retrieved 2026-02-20.
  19. ↑ "Air Marshal Dixit AOC-in-C, Central Air Command". The Times of India. 2024-09-02. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  20. ↑ Negi, Manjeet (2025-05-01). "Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit takes charge as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff". India Today. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  21. ↑ "Visit of AOC-in-C Central Air Command and President AFFWA (R) to Air Force Station Sonegaon". India Strategic. 2024-10-11. Retrieved 2026-06-25.
  22. ↑ "CHIEF OF INTEGRATED DEFENCE STAFF TO THE CHAIRMAN CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE (CISC)". IDS.
  23. ↑ "77th Republic Day: President approves Gallantry awards to 70 Armed Forces personnel, including six posthumous & military decorations to 301 personnel". Press Information Bureau. 25 Jan 2026. Retrieved 25 Jan 2026.
  24. ↑ "President approves 412 Gallantry awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day". PIB. 2023-01-25.
  25. ↑ "Presidential Awards to IAF personnel on the eve of Republic Day-2006". PIB. 2006-01-26.
  26. ↑ "440 Republic Day Gallantry and other Defence Decorations Announced". PIB. 2011-01-25.
  27. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)" (PDF). egazette.gov.in. p. 23. Retrieved 2026-02-20.
  28. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)" (PDF). egazette.gov.in. p. 33. Retrieved 2026-07-04.
  29. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)" (PDF). egazette.gov.in. p. 34. Retrieved 2026-07-04.
  30. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)" (PDF). egazette.gov.in. p. 41. Retrieved 2026-02-20.
  31. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)" (PDF). egazette.gov.in. p. 33. Retrieved 2026-02-20.
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