Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit made his first forward air base visit as Chief of the Air Staff to a station he had earlier commanded, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said on Sunday. He reviewed the base's operational preparedness, taking stock of its capabilities and its readiness to undertake assigned missions.

The IAF did not name the base. Forward stations are routinely left unnamed in official releases.

Forward air base visit takes IAF Chief back to his old command

The trip came in his first days in office. Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit assumed charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on Saturday, succeeding Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, who superannuated after 42 years of service, according to the Ministry of Defence.

Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit meets Agniveervayu at the base

He also interacted with Agniveervayu posted at the station, including women Agniveervayu. According to the IAF, he emphasised their important role in strengthening the force's combat potential and operational effectiveness.

The IAF recruits its Agniveervayu airmen under the Agnipath scheme, launched in June 2022. Women have joined the IAF through the scheme, and they now serve alongside men at operational stations, including forward bases such as this one.

The IAF said the visit showed his continued connect with the operational environment and its frontline men and women.

IAF Chief received a Guard of Honour on Sunday

On Sunday, the new chief paid tribute at the National War Memorial in New Delhi and received a Guard of Honour, the Ministry of Defence said.

In his first address as chief, he set out a vision for the force built around the acronym VAYU, with restoring the IAF's combat strength placed at the top of his priorities.

Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit flew fighters before taking up the top job

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he was commissioned into the IAF's fighter stream on 6 December 1986. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot, and had logged more than 3,300 hours on fighter, trainer and transport aircraft by 2023.

Staff and joint appointments before he became chief

He took over as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff in May 2023. He later served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, an appointment he held during Operation Sindoor, before taking over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff on 1 July 2026 from Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor.

The government announced his appointment as the 29th chief on 6 October. His tenure runs until 31 December 2028.