Every squadron, air defence unit, air warrior must be ready to respond at moment’s notice: IAF Chief Dixit

Immediate readiness means an air force can respond without first overcoming major delays. Its aircraft, radars, air-defence weapons, communications, crews, and support teams must be available, trained, and coordinated. The goal is to act at a moment’s notice when a threat appears.

For example, a radar must be operating and watched, while an air-defence unit must be able to identify a threat and engage it under established procedures. A squadron must have aircraft, pilots, maintenance, fuel, weapons, and command links ready. These elements work together to shorten the time between warning and action.

Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit made this readiness the “V” in his VAYU vision: Vigilance and operational readiness. He said every squadron, radar, air-defence unit, and air warrior must be ready to respond immediately. This matters because the IAF faces a demanding security environment and must remain ready to fight and win.

The Indian Air Force is generally reported to have about 31 fighter squadrons, compared with a sanctioned strength of 42. The article itself does not provide these numbers, so they come from established reporting and widely cited official figures. The difference is roughly 11 squadrons below the approved level.

A fighter squadron is a central operational unit that provides aircraft, pilots, weapons, and supporting personnel for combat missions. Fewer squadrons can mean fewer aircraft available for air defence, strikes, training, maintenance rotation, and simultaneous deployments. The impact depends on aircraft availability and mission demands, not only the headline count.

Restoring combat strength is Air Chief Marshal Dixit’s “foremost task.” The gap matters because the IAF is transforming for future warfare while facing drones, precision weapons, cyber threats, space systems, artificial intelligence, and electromagnetic challenges. Rebuilding numbers would strengthen readiness and help sustain operations over time.

These technologies change warfare by compressing decision time and expanding where attacks can happen. Drones can provide surveillance or attack cheaply. Long-range precision weapons can threaten targets from far away. Space systems support communication and observation, while cyberattacks can disrupt digital networks. Artificial intelligence can process information quickly, and the electromagnetic spectrum carries signals that forces need to communicate and operate.

A practical example is a drone supported by networked sensors and digital communications. It may detect a target, share information, and guide an accurate strike. At the same time, an opponent may jam signals, attack networks, or use electronic deception. The key mechanism is competition over information, connectivity, speed, and accuracy.

Dixit said these systems are reshaping the character of war. He specifically identified drones, long-range precision weapons, space, cyber, AI, and the electromagnetic spectrum. His VAYU priorities therefore include vigilance, tactical innovation, networked command, counter-drone defence, resilience, and near-space operations.

Aatmanirbharta in defence means developing, producing, and sustaining critical military capabilities within India. It covers more than aircraft. It includes sensors, weapons, platforms, support systems, and the ability to maintain them. Self-reliance matters because an air force must be able to operate when supplies, replacements, or foreign support are delayed or constrained.

For example, Indian sensors can detect threats, Indian aircraft can carry out missions, and Indian weapons can engage targets. If these systems are available in adequate numbers and supported by responsive maintenance, commanders can keep units operational. The key mechanism is a dependable national supply and support chain that sustains readiness.

Dixit made Aatmanirbharta a central VAYU pillar and said Indian sensors, platforms, and weapons would be the IAF’s highest priority. He said the force would fight with Indian solutions and hold them in numbers that sustain operational demands. That supports both combat effectiveness and credible deterrence.

Networked command systems connect information from sensors, aircraft, units, and commanders. AI can help organise large amounts of data and highlight possible threats. This may shorten the path from detection to decision. Layered counter-drone defences add several protective layers, rather than relying on one weapon or one point of failure.

For example, a radar or other sensor may detect an incoming drone and pass its track through a network. Commanders can then assess it, assign a response, and use suitable defences. If one layer fails, another may still detect, disrupt, or destroy the threat. The mechanism is shared information combined with overlapping protection.

The article does not claim a measured performance improvement, but it identifies these capabilities as priorities. Dixit listed networked, AI-enabled command and control, layered counter-drone defence, responsive maintenance, force protection, and resilience under tactical innovation. Their forward value is faster decisions and stronger protection against evolving threats.

The Army, Navy, Air Force, and national agencies can work together by sharing information, setting common objectives, and coordinating plans from the beginning. This is more than placing separate forces in the same operation. It means deciding together how air, land, maritime, intelligence, communications, and national capabilities will support one another.

For example, an operation could begin with a shared assessment of the threat, followed by coordinated tasking, common communications, and agreed responsibilities. Air power might support land or maritime missions, while national agencies provide relevant information. The key mechanism is integration from the first plan, with forces operating toward one mission rather than separate service goals.

Dixit said the IAF would plan and fight alongside the Army, Navy, and national agencies. He called this “Unity of effort,” and tied it to JAI: Jointness, Aatmanirbharta, and Innovation. He said air power delivers most when integrated from the very first plan.

Credible air power deters by convincing a potential attacker that aggression may fail or bring unacceptable costs. That credibility depends on more than aircraft numbers. It requires ready squadrons, effective sensors, trained personnel, reliable weapons, strong command systems, and the ability to sustain operations. A force that can respond quickly is harder to surprise.

For example, an opponent considering an attack must account for the IAF’s ability to detect threats, defend important areas, and conduct accurate operations. If the expected response is immediate and effective, the potential gains from attacking become less attractive. The mechanism is uncertainty and risk: strong defence can change an opponent’s calculation before fighting begins.

Dixit said the IAF’s responsibility is to fight and win, but most importantly to deter conflict through credible air power. His priorities—restoring squadron strength, self-reliance, innovation, and jointness—are intended to support that credibility. Effective preparation can therefore help prevent war, even while preserving the ability to fight.