Who is Mahesh Dixit? 1993-batch IPS officer appointed new Intelligence Bureau chief, succeeds Tapan Kumar Deka

The Centre on Thursday named Intelligence Bureau (IB) Special Director Mahesh Dixit as the next chief of the country's premier internal intelligence agency.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved Dixit's appointment for a two-year term. He currently serves as the second-highest-ranking officer in the IB.

According to an order issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Dixit will serve as Director of the Intelligence Bureau for two years from the date he takes charge or until further orders, whichever comes first.

The government has also approved an extension of his service under the provisions of Fundamental Rule 56(d) and Rule 16(1A) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, allowing him to continue in service while heading the intelligence agency.

"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Mahesh Dixit, IPS (AP:93), Special Director, Intelligence Bureau as Director, Intelligence Bureau vice Tapan Kumar Deka, IPS (HP:88), for a tenure of two years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier, by granting extension in service under the provisions of FR 56(d) and Rule 16 (1A) of All India Services (Death cum Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958," the order said, according to ANI.

Who is Mahesh Dixit?

Dixit, a 1993-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, is currently the Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau. He will succeed Tapan Kumar Deka, a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, whose second extended tenure as IB Director ends on June 30.

A veteran intelligence officer, Dixit has extensive experience in counter-terrorism, internal security and intelligence operations. Before his posting at the IB headquarters in New Delhi, he led the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in Jammu and Kashmir, a key assignment given the region's security environment.

One of the defining periods of Dixit's career was his role in the run-up to the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, as per NDTV. While handling key intelligence responsibilities in the region, he also reportedly oversaw security arrangements during Srinagar's hosting of the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in 2023, a high-profile international event.

He was transferred to the IB headquarters last year and promoted to Special Director, becoming the agency's second-in-command in a move that was widely viewed as preparing him to take over its top post.

Meanwhile, outgoing Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka has headed the agency since July 2022. During his tenure, the IB intensified its efforts in counter-terrorism, intelligence coordination and addressing emerging security challenges. The government granted him two consecutive service extensions, underscoring its emphasis on continuity in the intelligence establishment.

With Dixit's appointment, the government has handed over the leadership of the country's premier internal intelligence agency to a veteran officer with extensive intelligence experience.