Air Chief Dixit's First Tour: Focus on Readiness and Airmen

New Delhi, November 2: In his first official tour after becoming the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit visited a forward air base. The base holds a special place in his career, as he had earlier commanded it.

The visit centred on operational preparedness. The Air Chief reviewed the base's campaign readiness and operational capabilities, and assessed how well it is positioned to fulfil its missions.

He looked closely at the operational capabilities, resources and preparations available at the airbase. His main concern was ensuring that the base could carry out its planned operations effectively whenever required.

The Air Chief also met Agniveervayus, including women Agniveervayus. In these interactions, he stressed the key role they play in strengthening the Air Force's combat capability and operational effectiveness. He described the contribution of all Agniveervayus, including the women serving alongside their male counterparts, as an essential part of the Air Force's operational readiness.

The tour reflected a clear commitment to direct engagement with personnel stationed at the front and to staying in regular touch with operational realities. Alongside the base's preparedness, his focus extended to the men and women who are carrying out various Air Force operations.

On Sunday, he inspected a guard of honour and spelt out his priorities. He said the Air Force would be guided by four principles built around the word 'Vayu': vigilance and readiness, self-reliance, innovation, and united effort. He identified bringing the Air Force's combat strength up to the required level as his foremost priority.

The new Air Chief said that national security challenges are continuing and that the nature of warfare is changing swiftly due to new technologies and systems. Drones, long-range precision-strike weapons, and technologies in space, cyber and AI are among the developments shaping this shift.