IndiaPosted at: Nov 1 2026 6:34PM


Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit takes charge as 29th IAF chief, unveils ‘VAYU’ vision

New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit on Sunday assumed charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), outlining an ambitious roadmap for the Indian Air Force (IAF) centred on operational preparedness, indigenous defence capabilities, technological innovation and greater integration with the Army and Navy under the guiding vision of ‘VAYU’.
Soon after taking over, Air Chief Marshal Dixit paid homage at the National War Memorial to the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation. He was subsequently accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Air Force Station, New Delhi.
In his maiden address as Air Chief, Dixit described the country's security environment as demanding, noting that the changing character of warfare, driven by emerging technologies such as drones, long-range precision weapons, space, cyber, artificial intelligence (AI) and the electromagnetic spectrum, required the IAF to continuously transform while remaining prepared to fight and win.
Summing up his priorities in the word ‘VAYU’, the new Air Chief identified four key pillars, Vigilance and Readiness, Aatmanirbharta, Yukti and Unity of Effort, which, he said, would guide the force's future trajectory.
Emphasising operational preparedness, he said every squadron, radar, air defence unit and Air Warrior must remain ready to respond at a moment's notice. Restoring the IAF's combat strength to sanctioned levels would be among his foremost priorities.
On self-reliance, Dixit underlined that indigenous platforms, sensors, weapons and technologies would receive the highest priority, specifically mentioning the Tejas Mk1A and Mk2 programmes, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), and the development of Indian sensors and weapons.
"We will fight with Indian solutions, and we will hold them in numbers that meet sustained operations demands," he said, stressing that the ultimate responsibility of the Air Force was not merely to fight and win but also to deter conflict through credible air power.
The third pillar, ‘Yukti’, represents the IAF's focus on ingenuity and innovation in operational doctrine, procedures and technology. The Air Chief identified networked, AI-enabled command and control systems, layered counter-drone defences, responsive maintenance, force protection and resilience, along with the utilisation of near-space as an operational domain, as key areas requiring sustained attention.
Under the fourth pillar, ‘Unity of Effort’, Dixit called for deeper integration with the Army, Navy and national agencies, in line with the national vision of JAI, Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation.
He stressed that air power delivered its maximum potential when integrated into military planning from the very beginning, signalling a continued emphasis on joint operational planning and coordinated responses to emerging security challenges.
The new Air Chief also placed special emphasis on the welfare and professional development of personnel, saying the training, professional excellence, morale, safety, welfare and dignity of Air Warriors, Agniveervayu personnel, civilians, veterans, Veer Naris and their families would receive his personal attention.
Dixit succeeds Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, under whose leadership the IAF demonstrated its operational capabilities during Operation Sindoor. Acknowledging his predecessor's contribution, he said the Air Force had been handed over in a high state of readiness.
An Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor, Air Chief Marshal Dixit has over 3,500 hours of flying experience. He has held several important operational and strategic assignments, including Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command and Vice Chief of the Air Staff.
Concluding his address, Dixit assured the citizens that the Air Force remained vigilant, ready and resolute, and would continue to transform itself to meet the country's evolving security requirements.
"Your Air Force is vigilant, ready and resolute. Our commitment is clear: to remain ready, to keep transforming and to deliver whenever the nation calls," he said.
He ended his address with the IAF's motto, Nabha Sparsham Deeptam (Touch the Sky with Glory).
UNI PWS RSA
Tags: #Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit takes charge as 29th IAF chief# unveils ‘VAYU’ vision
More News

Cleaner Yamuna in Delhi means cleaner Ganga for the nation: LG Sandhu

01 Nov 2026 | 6:39 PM

New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Sandhu has underscored the importance of protecting India’s rivers, saying that a cleaner Yamuna in Delhi is essential to ensuring a cleaner Ganga for the entire nation.

see more..

Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit takes charge as 29th IAF chief, unveils ‘VAYU’ vision

01 Nov 2026 | 6:34 PM

New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit on Sunday assumed charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), outlining an ambitious roadmap for the Indian Air Force (IAF) centred on operational preparedness, indigenous defence capabilities, technological innovation and greater integration with the Army and Navy under the guiding vision of ‘VAYU’.

see more..

Major revamp: CISF transits to sector-specific functional command model, expected to enhance overall efficiency

01 Nov 2026 | 6:30 PM

New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) Starting from November 1, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has officially transitioned its supervisory architecture from a territorial command model to a highly specialised, functional sector model.

see more..

PM Modi to launch Global Renewable Energy Summit in Delhi, 130 countries to participate

01 Nov 2026 | 6:24 PM

New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the four-day Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Monday, November 2, bringing together governments, global investors, technology providers and industry leaders from more than 130 countries to explore investment opportunities and strengthen international cooperation in the clean energy sector.

see more..

Sikh families still awaiting justice, what happened in 1984 was it not murder of democracy, asks Delhi CM

01 Nov 2026 | 6:22 PM

New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, on Sunday, joined BJP’s padyatra in West Delhi’s Hari Nagar, demanding justice for victim families of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots while holding the Congress which was now swearing by the Constitution and talking of democracy, guilty of sikh genocide after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The mass killing of sikhs was nothing short of murder of democracy, she asserted.

see more..