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In his first address, new Air Force chief Ashutosh Dixit outlines ‘VAYU’ vision
Addressing a gathering at the Parade Ground of Air Force Station in New Delhi, he said that his priorities shall be summed up in one word: ‘VAYU’.
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Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who on Saturday took charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff, on Sunday outlined his priorities for the Indian Air Force (IAF) under the ‘VAYU’ vision during what was his first public address as the new Air Force chief. Notably, the new IAF chief succeeds Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, who retired after 42 years of military service.
Addressing a gathering during the Guard of Honour ceremony at the Parade Ground of Air Force Station in New Delhi, Dixit said that his priorities shall be summed up in one word: ‘VAYU’.
New IAF chief highlights ‘VAYU’ vision
His ‘VAYU’ vision highlighted combat readiness, rebuilding sanctioned combat strength, indigenous defence capabilities, technological innovation and closer coordination among the armed forces.
Explaining the term, he said V stands for Vigilance and Readiness. “Every squadron, every radar, every air defence unit, along with each and every Air Warrior, must be ready to respond at a moment’s notice. Restoring our combat strength towards the sanctioned level will also be my foremost task.”
A stands for Aatmanirbharta, he said. “The Tejas Mk1A and II, the AMCA, Indian sensors and Indian weapons are our highest priority. We will fight with Indian solutions, and we will hold them in numbers that meet sustainment demands. Our responsibility is to fight and win, but most importantly, it is to deter conflict through credible air power.”
Y stands for Yukti, or ingenuity, Dixit said. “Innovation in doctrine, procedures and technology: networked, AI-enabled command and control; layered counter-drone defence; responsive maintenance, force protection, resilience and use of near-space as operational domains for the Air Force are all areas which will be constantly monitored and progressed.”
U stands for Unity of effort, he added. “In step with the vision of JAI, Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation, we will plan and fight as one along with our Army, our Navy and our national agencies.”
IAF chief says new technologies reshaping nature of war
He also said that new technologies and systems were changing the nature of warfare and added that the IAF must adapt to meet the country’s needs over the next decade while remaining ready to fight and win.
Addressing the gathering at the Parade Ground of Air Force Station in New Delhi, he said, “Our security environment remains demanding. In addition, the character of war is being reshaped by new technologies and systems like drones, long-range precision weapons, space, cyber, AI and the electromagnetic spectrum.”
"The Air Force, while transforming into the force that India will need in the next decade, must always be ready to fight and win,” he added.
All about new IAF chief
Dixit, who previously served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, was commissioned into the Indian Air Force’s fighter stream in December 1986.
The 59-year-old is an experimental test pilot and qualified flying instructor. He has logged more than 3,500 flying hours on several aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, various MiG models, 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 roles 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 took part 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. He has also 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.
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