India
IAF chief Dixit sets restoring 42 squadrons as priority
The Indian Express·
A day after becoming the 29th Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit listed restoring combat strength toward the sanctioned level as his foremost task. He summarised priorities as VAYU: vigilance, Aatmanirbharta, Yukti and unity of effort. The force sits well below its sanctioned 42 fighter squadrons. He flagged Tejas, the AMCA, and Indian weapons.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Fighter squadron gaps affect how many aircraft the IAF can field for air defence and deterrence.
- Delayed Tejas induction keeps older fleets in service longer as some types phase out by 2029-30.
- Joint planning with the Army and Navy is part of the unity pillar Dixit described.
What's Happening
- Dixit thanked predecessor Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh for handing over a force in high readiness.
- Vigilance covers squadrons, radars, air defence units and air warriors ready at short notice.
- Yukti covers doctrine, AI-enabled command, counter-drone defence and near-space as an operational domain.
The Fleet Gap Dixit Cited
- Several MiG-21 squadrons have already been phased out.
- Dixit has more than 3,500 flying hours on types including the Mirage 2000, Jaguar, Hawk and Tejas.
- He was commissioned into the fighter stream on December 6, 1986, after training at the National Defence Academy.
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