Air Marshal Tejinder Singh took over as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) on July 1, 2026, at the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff in New Delhi. He succeeds Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who has been appointed as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force. The change at the top of India’s tri-service integration machinery comes at a critical time as the Ministry of Defence pushes forward with theatre command reforms and deeper jointness among the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Who Is Air Marshal Tejinder Singh?
Air Marshal Tejinder Singh is a decorated fighter pilot with over 4,500 hours of flying experience. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on June 13, 1987, after graduating from the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. He is a Category A Qualified Flying Instructor and an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi.
Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he has held several key command and staff appointments. He has commanded a Fighter Squadron, a Radar Station, and a premier Fighter Base. He also served as the Air Officer Commanding, Jammu and Kashmir, and later as the Senior Air Staff Officer at the Eastern Air Command in Shillong. Before his current assignment, he served as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (DCAS) and as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Training Command and the South Western Air Command.
In recognition of his service, he has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (VM) in 2007, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2022, and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) in 2026.
Who Is Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit?
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, the outgoing CISC, has taken charge as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS), the second-highest position in the Indian Air Force. He succeeded Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, who superannuated on June 30, 2026, after four decades of service. Dixit is an ace fighter pilot and an Experimental Test Pilot with over 3,300 hours of flying experience on more than 20 types of aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, MiG-21, and Jaguar.
Commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on December 6, 1986, he is an alumnus of the NDA, the Defence Services Staff College (Bangladesh), and the NDC, New Delhi. As a test pilot and Commanding Officer of the Flight Test Squadron at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru, he spearheaded several indigenous upgrade programmes, including avionics modernisation for the Jaguar and MiG-27. He also played a key role in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) trials as Director of Air Staff Requirements.
Dixit assumed the role of CISC on May 1, 2025, during which he contributed significantly to enhancing tri-service jointness and advancing the theatre command framework. He holds the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2026), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2023), Vayu Sena Medal (2006), and Vishisht Seva Medal (2011).
What Is the Role of the CISC?
The Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) is a three-star officer who heads the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), the principal inter-service body of the Indian Armed Forces. Established on October 1, 2001, the IDS was created following the recommendations of the 2001 Group of Ministers report on defence reforms after the Kargil Review Committee identified gaps in tri-service coordination.
The CISC is the second-highest authority on inter-service jointness, reporting directly to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), who is the four-star Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. The CISC holds a rank equivalent to the Vice Chiefs of the three armed services and ranks 23rd in the Indian order of precedence.
Key Responsibilities
| Responsibility | Description |
|---|---|
| Supervise the IDS | Acts as the executive-in-charge of the Integrated Defence Staff, which functions as the secretariat of the CDS and the COSC |
| Chair the Defence Crisis Management Group | Coordinates military response during national security crises |
| Coordinate Long-Range and Five-Year Plans | Presents coordinated budgetary and planning proposals for all three services to the Defence Minister |
| Chair the Vice Chiefs Committee | Resolves inter-service issues and provides military recommendations to the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Committee on Security |
| Identify Critical Deficiencies | Coordinates across services to remove gaps in operational preparedness |
The CISC is assisted by several three-star Deputy Chiefs (DCIDS) covering policy planning, doctrine and training, operations, intelligence, and medical services.
Significance of the Appointments
These appointments carry substantial weight in India’s higher defence management for several reasons. Air Marshal Dixit’s move to VCAS brings an officer with deep experience in indigenous fighter development and tri-service integration to the IAF’s second-highest post at a time when the force is modernising its fleet and pursuing self-reliance in combat aircraft production. His background as a test pilot involved in the Jaguar and MiG-27 upgrade programmes and the MMRCA trials makes him well-suited to steer the IAF’s capability development.
For Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, the CISC appointment marks his return to the Integrated Defence Staff, having previously served as Deputy Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Financial (Planning) at HQ IDS earlier in his career. His experience across multiple operational commands, including as Air Officer Commanding in Jammu and Kashmir and as SASO of Eastern Air Command, gives him a broad perspective on the operational needs of all three services.
The appointments also continue the rotation of the CISC post among the three services. After Lieutenant General Johnson P Mathew (Army) and Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit (IAF), the post remains with the IAF, reflecting the rotational convention established since the office was created in 2001.
Key Takeaways
- Air Marshal Tejinder Singh assumed charge as CISC on July 1, 2026, succeeding Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit.
- He was commissioned into the IAF fighter stream on June 13, 1987, and has over 4,500 hours of flying experience.
- He has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2026), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2022), and Vayu Sena Medal (2007).
- Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff on July 1, 2026, succeeding Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor.
- The CISC is a three-star officer who heads the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), established in 2001 to improve tri-service coordination.
- The CISC ranks 23rd in the Indian order of precedence and is equivalent in status to the Vice Chiefs of the three armed services.
