The Indian Army, the land component of the Indian Armed Forces, follows a certain hierarchy of rank designations and insignia derived from the erstwhile British Indian Army (BIA).

History

1947–1950 Upon the establishment of India's independence in 1947, the country became a dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations. Nevertheless, the armed forces, namely, the British Indian Army (BIA), the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) and the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) - under the helm of King George VI as the Commander-in-Chief - retained their respective pre-independence ranks and corresponding insignia. In the Army's case, the service retained its pre-independence insignia, comprising the Tudor Crown and four-pointed Bath Star, called the pip.

1950–present In May 1949, Lord Mountbatten, the inaugural Governor-General of India, dispatched a note to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, titled Names and Insignia of Indian Armed Forces, containing a list of suggestions regarding the nomenclature of the armed forces that were to be enforced upon the dominion's conversion to a republic. In the note, Mountbatten proposed that the Tudor Crown, worn on the epaulettes of ranks of Majors and above should be replaced by the Lion Capital of Ashoka and that the pip should be replaced by the Star of India or another form of star.

In September 1949, Nehru forwarded the proposals to the country's minister of defence, Baldev Singh, recommending Mountbatten's suggestions, which were consequently enforced upon India's emergence as a republic on 26 January 1950. Simultaneously, the King's Commission, which was granted to commissioned Indian officers of the BIA was also changed to Indian Commission on the same date; and at a subsequent date the King's Colours of the various armed regiments were laid to rest at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.

Structure Presently, the Army's rank hierarchy is divided into three broad categories: Group-A: Commissioned officers (Officers) Group-B: Junior commissioned officers (JCO) Group-C: Non-commissioned officers (NCO) and enlisted, also referred to as Other Ranks (OR)

Special ranks

Rank group Chief of Defence Staff

Commissioned Officers

The Army has ten commissioned officer (officer) ranks, which are designated as Group-A service ranks and are equivalent to the All India Services.

The highest attainable rank in the Army's officer cadre is that of the Field Marshal, a ceremonial five-star rank immediately superior to full General. It is awarded exclusively to deemed recipients for recognition of exceptional service and leadership during wartime; however, it does not feature in the Army's organizational structure. In the Army's history, only two four-star officers have ever been promoted to the rank: Gen. Sam Manekshaw in 1973 and Gen. K. M. Cariappa in 1986. Recipients are considered to be serving officers until their death. The highest operational rank is General, which is held exclusively by the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS). The first Indian to be promoted to the rank was then-Lt. Gen. K. M. Cariappa, following his appointment as the second Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Army in January 1949.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a rotational position deemed the highest uniformed designation-cum-professional head of the armed forces, is also held by a four-star officer drawn from the Army, the Navy or the Air Force. However, CDS appointees do not wear the corresponding insignia of their respective service, but are rather allotted a unique insignia independent of that service's rank hierarchy: a crimson-colored epaulette, adorned with the tri-service emblem of the armed forces. As of 2024, only two four-star officers from the Army have been appointed to the position.

Junior commissioned officer and non-commissioned ranks Cavalry ranks Risaldar Major Risaldar Naib Risaldar Daffadar Lance Daffadar Acting Lance Daffadar Sowar

The title Risaldar replaces Subedar in ranks in cavalry, armored regiments, Remount Veterinary Corps, and animal transport battalions of Army Service Corps. Naib Risaldar was called Jemadar until 1965. Daffadar, Lance Daffadar and Acting Lance Daffadar - these ranks replace the titles of Havildar, Naik and Lance Naik in cavalry, armored regiments, Remount Veterinary Corps and animal transport battalions of Army Service Corps. Sowar replaces the rank Sepoy in cavalry, armored regiments, Remount Veterinary Corps, and animal transport battalions of the Army Service Corps.

Former ranks + Former/Discontinued Ranks Officers Non-commissioned officersShoulderInsignia Arm Rank SecondLieutenant RegimentalHavildarMajor RegimentalQuartermasterHavildar CompanyHavaldarMajor CompanyQuartermasterHavildar

The rank of Second Lieutenant is no longer in use; all new officers are commissioned as Lieutenants. Notable past holders include 2nd Lt. Arun Khetarpal, 2nd Lt.Rama Raghoba Rane, and other ranks, including CHM Piru Singh Shekhawat and CQMH Abdul Hamid. The appointments of Regimental Quartermaster Havildar and Regimental Havaldar Major are no longer used in the Indian Army (except for the Regiment of Artillery and Army Air Defence) and those duties are now performed by JCOs.

Rank descriptions Indian Army Ranks can be classified into three categories. Commissioned Officers who are equivalent to All India Services & Group "A" Service officers. Junior Commissioned Officers who are equivalent to Group B Gazetted officers. Other Ranks comprising non-commissioned officers and soldiers.

Officers

Commissioned officers are the leaders of the army and command anywhere from a Platoon, a Company, a Battalion, a Brigade, a Division, a Corps, and the whole army. At the time of joining, all Indian Army officers are inducted as officer cadets. The rank of officer cadet is denoted by an officer's uniform with no insignia. Indian Army officers are continually put through different courses and assessed on merit throughout their career, for promotions and appointments. Substantive promotions up to Lieutenant Colonel or equivalent (subject to clearance of Part B and Part D exam for Major and Lieutenant Colonel) and are based on time in service whereas those for Colonel and above are based on selection, with promotion to Colonel also based on time served.

Due to steep hierarchy and few vacancies, most of the officers retire at the rank of Colonel and only a few make it to the rank of Brigadier and above. Civilian equivalents are in accordance with government policies on functional allocation of duties in staff billets; otherwise, the rank structure of the armed forces is different from that of civilians about years of service and vacancies available. Indian Army officers undergo various courses, such as the Young Officers Course, Junior Command Course, Defence Services Staff College course at DSSC Wellington, Management Development Programme: Senior Defence Management Course, Higher Defence Management Course at the College of Defence Management (Secunderabad), Higher Command Courses, and NDC courses at various premier institutions of the Armed Forces for promotions. The same applies to officers of the other two services, namely Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.

RankEpaulette InsigniaDescriptionAppointmentsSuperannuation Age/TenureRank flagPay level Field marshal(FM) Five-star rankAwarded exclusively in recognition of exceptional service and leadership during wartime.Ceremonial, not included in the Army organizational hierarchy. Appointed by order of the Government of India* S. H. F. J. Manekshaw - Promoted in 1973* K. M. Cariappa - Promoted in 1986 Recipients are considered serving officers until the date of demise. General(Gen) Four-star rankHighest ranking general officer in Army organizational hierarchy. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)(Only if appointee is an Army flag officer)Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) CDS: 65 (or) 3 years of service; whichever is earlier.COAS: 62 (or) 3 years of service; whichever is earlier. (COAS)18 (apex) Lieutenant general(Lt Gen) Three-star rankSecond-highest general officer in Army organizational hierarchy. Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) (Only if appointee is an Army general officer) Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) General Officer Commanding-in-Chiefs - (GOC-in-C) of army commands e.g. Eastern Command GOCs of Field corps General Staff Heads of other directorates. Head of the Assam Rifles. 60 (VCOAS)(Lt Gen)17/15 Major general(Maj Gen) Two-star rankThird-highest general officer in Army organizational hierarchy. General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Divisions Additional Director Generals Commandants/Director Generals of various institutions/organizations and other appointments. 58 Guidon in red, with army crest at the hoist, two stars at the fly 14 Brigadier(Brig) One-star rank Brigade CommanderBrigadier General Staff (BGS)Deputy Director Generals of directoratesDiplomatic military attaché and other appointments 56 Triangular pennon in red, with army crest at the hoist, one star at the fly 13A Colonel (Col) (-) Colonel General Staff (Col GS)Directors and other appointments CO of battalion/regiment / equivalent unit (Infantry, Artillery, Armored), appointment varies by corps/regiments 54 (-)13 Lieutenant colonel(Lt Col) (-) Second in command of battalion/regiment / equivalent unit (Infantry, Artillery, Armored), appointment varies by corps/regiments NA (-)12A Major(Maj) (-) Company/equivalent unit commander, appointment varies by corps/regiments NA (-)11 Captain(Capt) (-) Varies by corps/regiments NA (-)10B Lieutenant(Lt) (-) Varies by corps/regimentsNA (-)10 Officer Cadet (GC/LC) NDA, IMA & OTA tag Professional training at National Defence Academy (NDA), Indian Military Academy (IMA), Officers Training Academy (OTA). Gentleman Cadet (GC)Lady Cadet (LC)1 to 5 years (-)

In the Indian Army, officer cadets are known as Gentlemen Cadets or Lady Cadets. Gentlemen Cadets join the National Defence Academy (NDA), Indian Military Academy (IMA)/Officer's Training Academy (OTA) after going through the Service Selection Board (SSB) interview. Gentlemen Cadets undergo a pre-commission training program at NDA, IMA/OTA, which is equally divided into terms.

Junior commissioned officers

Junior commissioned officers are promoted from non-commissioned officers and are broadly equivalent to warrant officers in the British Army. Senior non-commissioned officers are promoted to JCO rank based on merit and seniority, restricted to the number of vacancies. In between the Commissioned Officers and the NCOs lie the Junior Commissioned Officers. They are treated with great respect as they have a minimum of 28 years and above and are referred to as Sahab by all ranks.

The current living recipients of the Param Veer Chakra are all from JCO ranks, namely Bana Singh Retd, Sanjay Kumar, and Yogendra Singh Yadav. JCOs are entrusted with supervisory roles, and the three JCO ranks are Subedar Major, Subedar, and Naib Subedar. JCOs are equivalent in status to Group B (Gazetted) of the Government of India. Junior commissioned officers are treated as a separate class and hold many additional privileges. In the army, they have a separate mess (the JCO's mess), get well-furnished family quarters, and are authorized to travel in AC II-tier on the railways.

Ranks and abbreviationsInsigniaDescriptionRetirement AgePay level Infantry and other armsCavalry and Armour Subedar Major (Sub Maj) Risaldar Major (Ris Maj) Golden national emblem with stripe After 34 years service or at the age of 54, whichever is sooner.8 Subedar (Sub) Risaldar (Ris) Two golden stars with stripe After 30 years of service or at the age of 52, whichever is sooner.7 Naib Subedar (Nb Sub) Naib Risaldar (Nb Ris) One golden star with stripe After 28 years of service or at the age of 52, whichever is sooner.6