Senior IPS officer Mahesh Dixit (IPS:1993:AP) on Tuesday (June 30, 2026) assumed charge as the new Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), succeeding Tapan Kumar Deka (IPS:1988:HP), who retired after completing a four-year tenure.
Mahesh Dixit, a 1993-batch IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, will head the country’s premier internal intelligence agency for a period of two years. His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on June 25, 2026.
Prior to his elevation, Dixit was serving as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau, where he headed the counter-terrorism desk besides overseeing several other strategically important divisions.
A qualified medical doctor before joining the Indian Police Service, Dixit brings nearly three decades of experience in intelligence and internal security. During his career, he has handled several sensitive assignments, including operations in the Northeast, Ladakh and anti-Naxal operations.
While serving in Telangana, he worked closely with the state Intelligence Bureau and police to strengthen the state’s counter-terrorism capabilities at a time when Hyderabad had emerged as a major hub for pan-Islamist terror outfits, including the Indian Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI).
As the head of the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in Srinagar, Dixit played a significant role in maintaining internal security in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370. He is also credited with playing a key role in unearthing a major white-collar terror network in the Valley last year.
Widely regarded within the intelligence community for his expertise in counter-terrorism and crisis management, Dixit 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.
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