Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit outlines ‘VAYU’ vision for Indian Air Force
The new Chief of the Air Staff has identified vigilance and readiness, Aatmanirbharta, innovation and unity of effort as the four pillars guiding the Indian Air Force’s future priorities.
Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit assumes charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force in New Delhi on November 1, 2026.
NEW DELHI: Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has outlined a four-pillar vision for the Indian Air Force, identifying operational readiness, self-reliance, innovation and jointness as key priorities during his tenure as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff.
Air Chief Marshal Dixit assumed charge on November 1, 2026. He began his tenure by paying homage at the National War Memorial to personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in service of the nation. This was followed by a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Air Force Station New Delhi.
In his opening address, he introduced the guiding theme ‘VAYU’, representing four areas that will shape the force’s future direction.
The first pillar, ‘Vigilance, Victory and Readiness’, emphasises maintaining a high level of operational preparedness across formations and restoring combat strength to sanctioned levels.
‘Aatmanirbharta’ represents the focus on accelerating indigenous capabilities across platforms, sensors, weapons and technologies, with an emphasis on operational self-reliance and sustained combat capability.
The third pillar, ‘Yukti’, highlights the role of ingenuity and innovation in military doctrine, technology and operational procedures. The areas identified include AI-enabled command and control, counter-drone capabilities, resilience and emerging operational domains.
The fourth pillar, ‘Unity of Effort’, focuses on strengthening jointness among the Indian Air Force, Army, Navy and national agencies, in line with the broader national vision of Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation.
Air Chief Marshal Dixit is an Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor with more than 3,500 hours of flying experience. His previous appointments include Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command and Vice Chief of the Air Staff.
The ‘VAYU’ framework sets out the new Chief’s stated priorities for an operationally ready, technologically advanced and self-reliant Air Force, with greater integration across the armed forces and national agencies.
