New Delhi, June 25, KDC: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Thursday approved the appointment of Mahesh Dixit, IPS (AP:1993), as the Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), India’s premier internal intelligence agency.
According to the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), a copy of which is in the possession of news agency Kashmir Dot Com, Dixit, who is currently serving as Special Director, Intelligence Bureau, will succeed Tapan Kumar Deka (IPS: HP:1988). He has been appointed for a two-year tenure from the date he assumes charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
A highly experienced intelligence officer, Dixit has spent over two decades in the Intelligence Bureau, handling several critical assignments across the country. He is widely regarded as an expert in counter-terrorism, internal security, and intelligence operations.
Dixit has extensive experience in Jammu and Kashmir, where he served as Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau, before later heading the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB), Srinagar, as its chief. During his tenure in the Valley, he played a crucial role in intelligence gathering, counter-insurgency operations, and coordination among multiple security agencies, particularly during the post-2019 security transition following the abrogation of Article 370.
Prior to his appointment as IB Director, Dixit was elevated as Special Director, Intelligence Bureau, where he served as the agency’s second-in-command and supervised several strategic intelligence and internal security operations at the national level.
An IPS officer of the 1993 batch, originally of the undivided Andhra Pradesh cadre and now allocated to the Telangana cadre, Dixit has earned a reputation as one of the country’s most accomplished intelligence professionals. Over his distinguished career, he has been honoured with the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service, the Police Medal for Meritorious Service, and the Police Antrik Suraksha Seva Padak for his contributions to national security.
Dixit began his career as the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh before joining the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
As an IB officer, he served in Kohima, Patna and Hyderabad, before being posted to the headquarters and later assigned to Jammu and Kashmir. An IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, Dixit has spent more than 26 years in the Intelligence Bureau, with a significant part of his career dedicated to J&K.
He served as Deputy Director of the IB in Jammu and Kashmir from 2009 to 2012 before being posted to Nagaland from 2012 to 2015. In 2020, he returned to J&K to head the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB), a position he held until 2024, overseeing security preparedness and intelligence-based operations following the abrogation of Article 370.
He is also among the Union Home Ministry officials engaged in talks with civil society leaders in Ladakh.
Due to retire in August 2027, Dixit has also been granted an extension in service under the provisions of FR 56(d) and Rule 16(1A) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958.
His appointment comes at a time when the Intelligence Bureau continues to play a pivotal role in tackling terrorism, countering espionage, monitoring cyber threats, and strengthening India’s internal security architecture. Security experts believe Dixit’s vast operational experience, particularly in conflict-prone regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, will further bolster the agency’s capabilities in addressing evolving national security challenges. (KDC)
