Air Chief Marshal Dixit takes charge of IAF amid modernisation push

Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit on Saturday took over as the 29th Chief of Air Staff, succeeding Air Chief Marshal AP Singh who retired after 42 years of military service.India NewsDixit, who was earlier serving as the Vice Chief of Air Staff, was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in December 1986. An experimental test pilot and a qualified flying instructor, the 59-year-old officer has logged more than 3,500 flying hours on various aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, different MiG variants, Jaguar and Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1).“Over a career spanning four decades, the Air Chief has rich experience across diverse domains such as operations, flight testing, capability development and joint staff assignments,” the IAF said. His previous appointments include Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff.Dixit participated in several operations, including Operation Safed Sagar (during the Kargil war) and Operation Rakshak in Jammu and Kashmir. He was CISC during Operation Sindoor, the four-day military confrontation with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror strike last year.He has commanded a Mirage-2000 squadron and a fighter training base in the southern sector, and served as Air Defence Commander of Southern Air Command, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects), Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans) at Air HQ, and Senior Air Staff Officer at South Western Air Command.“Widely recognised for his contribution to the IAF’s modernisation, he was instrumental in finalising the Jaguar and MiG-27 upgrade projects and in completing the initial operational clearance (IOC) and final operational clearance (FOC) activities for the LCA Mk-1,” the air force said in a statement. Dixit is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Command and Staff College (Bangladesh), and the National Defence College.He takes charge as IAF grapples with a worrying shortage of fighter jets, and several key programmes to bolster its capabilities need to be accelerated. The appointment also comes at a pivotal moment as the armed forces advance theaterisation, a long-awaited reform designed to integrate the military’s resources for future conflicts. Dixit has also assumed charge amid a row over the government’s move to reclaim land within the Race Course Air Force Station in Delhi.The five major programmes Dixit is expected to prioritise include the LCA Mk-1A, LCA Mk-2, the MRFA (multi-role fighter aircraft), the AMCA (advanced medium combat aircraft) and the MTA (medium transport aircraft).On October 3, Air Chief Marshal Singh said the delay in inducting new fighter jets is hurting the IAF, and the country needs to produce up to 40 aircraft a year to plug capability gaps and build long-term combat strength. The IAF is counting on the timely induction of the LCA Mk-1A and MRFA to shore up its fighter fleet and keep the combat squadron numbers from falling below 30 compared to a sanctioned 42.5.The LCA Mk-1A will be Dixit’s immediate priority.It is finally nearing induction into the IAF after missing several deadlines. It will be the first aircraft to enter service under his watch by year-end. The LCA Mk-1A will replace the IAF’s workhorse MiG-21s, which retired last year after more than six decades of service. The IAF has placed two orders with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for 180 Mk-1A fighter jets worth a combined ₹1.1 lakh crore.The first contract for 83 aircraft was signed in February 2021, followed by a second one for 97 fighters in September 2025. The first Mk-1A aircraft, ordered in 2021, was due for delivery in March 2024. That deadline was missed due to a combination of factors, including US firm GE Aerospace’s inability to supply the F404-IN20 engines on time and delays in securing key certifications. The supply of engines has stabilised, easing a key constraint on the programme.However, HAL is working through final technical corrections related to radar and weapons integration. HAL plans to deliver around 10 fighter jets to the IAF in FY 2026-27.The MRFA contract is likely to be finalised by the end of the financial year. It refers to the proposed purchase of 114 Rafale fighter jets from France at a cost of roughly ₹3.25 lakh crore. Under the MRFA model being considered, the Rafales will be made in India by French plane maker Dassault Aviation and a local partner. France is expected to supply 18 Rafale jets in fly-away condition while the remaining aircraft will be made in India.