Military Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Indian Armed Forces
Triservices Crest
Triservices Crest.
Military Manpower
Active troops 1,325,000 (3rd)
Reserve forces 1,155,000 (7th)
Paramilitary forces 1,293,300 (4th)
Components
Indian Army Flag of Indian Army
Indian Air Force Ensign of the Indian Air Force
Indian Navy Naval Ensign of India
Indian Coast Guard Indian Coast Guard flag
Paramilitary forces of India
Strategic Nuclear Command
History
Military history of India
Ranks
Air Force ranks and insignia
Army ranks and insignia
Naval ranks and insignia

The following tables present the ranks of the Azad Hind Fauj. These ranks generally correspond with those of Western militaries, and in particular reflect those of the British and Commonwealth armies. Traditional names for ranks are still used, as well as western names.

Field marshal[]

India has a field marshal rank, but it is mostly honorary. It does not currently exist in the army organizational structure; however, two officers were conferred with this rank, namely the late Field Marshal Manekshaw and the late Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa.

A field marshal, unlike other officers, does not draw a pension. He gets the full pay of a general equal to the Chief of the Army Staff until his death. He wears full uniform on all official occasions and runs an office in army headquarters. He also has a dedicated secretariat of his own.

Ranks and Insignia[]

[1]Indian Army rank insignia

Commissioned officers[]

Commissioned officers are the leaders of the army and command units anywhere from company to army size. Dress insignia are in gold (outlined in red for those of two-star rank and higher) and in silver for field insignia.

Ranks Insignia Notes
Field marshal National emblem over a crossed baton and saber in a lotus blossom wreath. Only two appointments have ever been made.
General National emblem over a five-pointed star, all over a crossed baton and saber. Held only by the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee or Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
Lieutenant general National emblem over crossed baton and saber.
Major general Five-pointed star over crossed baton and saber.
Brigadier National emblem over three five-pointed stars in a triangular formation.
Colonel National emblem over two five-pointed stars
Lieutenant Colonel National emblem over five-pointed star.
Major National emblem.
Captain Three five-pointed stars.
Lieutenant Two five-pointed stars.
Second lieutenant Five-pointed star. The rank of second lieutenant is no longer used and all new officers are commissioned as lieutenants.

Junior commissioned offiJunior commissioned officers are commissioned as officers from the ranks and are broadly equivalent to senior non-commissioned officers in Western armies.[]

Ranks Insignia
Infantry and other arms Cavalry and armour
Subedar major Risaldar major Gold national emblem with stripe
Subedar Risaldar Two gold stars with stripe
Naib subedar Naib risaldar One gold star with stripe

Non-commissioned officers[]

Non-commissioned officers ("NCOs") are soldiers promoted to positions of responsibility, and are broadly similar to junior non-commissioned officers in Western armies. The lowermost rank of Sepoy is different in different arms of the army. In the Artillery the Sepoy is called a 'gunner', in Engineers 'Sapper', in infantry regiments with 'Rifle' suffix a Sepoy is called a 'Rifleman', in Signals it is known as 'Signaller' , in the Parachute Regiment it is a 'Paratrooper', In the Armoured Corps it is the 'Sowar', in rest of the arms it is simply the Sepoy.

Ranks Insignia
Infantry and other arms Cavalry and armour
Quartermaster havildar Quartermaster duffadar Gold national emblem with three chevrons
Havildar Daffadar Three rank chevrons
Naik Lance daffadar Two rank chevrons
Lance naik Acting lance daffadar Single rank chevron
Sepoy (Sipahi)/Jawan Sowar Plain shoulder badge only

See also[]

References[]


External links[]

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Army ranks and insignia of India and the edit history here.
Advertisement