Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit Sunday outlined his top priorities: restoring the Indian Air Force’s sanctioned combat strength, boosting self-reliance, adopting the latest technologies and procedures, and strengthening synergy and jointness among the three services. His remarks came a day after he took charge as the 29th Chief of Air Staff.Noting that India’s security environment remains demanding and that new technologies are reshaping warfare, he said the IAF must always be ready to fight and win. He cited drones, long-range precision weapons, space, cyber, artificial intelligence and the electromagnetic spectrum as emerging elements of the changing battlefield.Summing up his priorities in a word synonymous with the IAF, he called them ‘VAYU’.The ‘V’ stands for vigilance and readiness, he said. Every squadron, radar, air defence unit and 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,” he said.The IAF’s fighter strength is well below its sanctioned 42 squadrons. Several MiG-21 squadrons have been phased out in recent years, other fighter squadrons are scheduled to be phased out by the end of 2029–30, and the induction of the LCA Tejas has been delayed.He said the ‘A’ in VAYU stands for aatmanirbharta, or self-reliance. The Tejas Mk1A and Mk1, the AMCA, and Indian sensors and weapons will be among the top priorities.Story continues below this adThe IAF will fight with Indian solutions, fielded in adequate numbers to meet sustained operational demands.“Our responsibility is to fight and win, but most importantly it is to deter conflict through credible air power.”“Y is for yukti, our ingenuity,” he said. He added that the IAF would continue to advance innovation in doctrine, procedures and technology; networked, AI-enabled command and control; layered counter-drone defence; responsive maintenance; force protection; resilience; and the use of near-space as an operational domain.“U stands for unity of effort,” he said. “In step with the vision of JAI—jointness, aatmanirbharta and innovation, we will plan and fight as one alongside our Army, our Navy and our national agencies.” He emphasised that air power is most effective when integrated from the outset.Story continues below this adDescribing the Indian Air Force as “vigilant, ready and resolute”, he said: “Our commitment is clear: to remain ready, to keep transforming and to deliver whenever the nation calls.”He also thanked his predecessor, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh (Retd), for handing over the force in a high state of readiness.Known to be an avid reader, tech-savvy and a visionary leader, Air Marshal Dixit is an Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor. He has more than 3,500 hours of flying experience on aircraft including the Mirage 2000, various MiG variants, Kiran, Jaguar, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas.During his four-decade-long service career, he has been actively involved in several operations and exercises, including Operation Safed Sagar, Operation Rakshak and Operation Sindoor.Story continues below this adBorn on December 9, 1966, he was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College in Bangladesh and the National Defence College.