Army ranks and insignia of India

Officers

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Indian Army																									No insignia
	Field Marshal		General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant						Officer Cadet
	Honorary/ War time rank		Held by the Chief of Defence Staff or the Chief of the Army Staff

Enlisted ranks

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Indian Army																													No insignia
	Subedar Major/Risaldar Major						Subedar/Risaldar		Naib Subedar/Naib Risaldar		Havildar												Naik				Lance Naik		Sepoy

• Risaldar Major in cavalry and armoured regiments
• Risaldar in cavalry and armoured regiments
• Naib Risaldar in cavalry and armoured regiments. Called Jemadar until 1965.
• Sowar in cavalry and armoured regiments

The rank of Second Lieutenant is no longer in use; all new officers are commissioned as Lieutenants.

The appointments of Regimental Quartermaster Havildar and Regimental Havildar Major are no longer used in the Indian Army and those duties are now performed by JCOs.[2][3][4]

Ranks of the Indian Army no longer in use

	Officers		Non-commissioned officers
Shoulder Insignia		Arm
Rank	Second Lieutenant		Regimental Havildar Major	Regimental Quartermaster Havildar	Company Havildar Major	Company Quartermaster Havildar

Notable holders include 2Lt. Arun Khetarpal, 2Lt. Rama Raghoba Rane, CHM Piru Singh Shekhawat and CQMH Abdul Hamid.

Equivalent ranks of Indian Armed Forces (click to enlarge)

Commissioned officers are the leaders of the army and command anywhere from Platoon, Company, Battalion, Brigade, Division, 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) [7][8] 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.[9][10][11] 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 the civilian with regard to years of service and vacancies available.

Indian Army officers undergo various courses such as 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, NDC courses at various premier institutions of Armed Forces for promotions. The same is applicable to officers other two services namely Indian Navy and Indian Air Force

Dress insignia are in Gold/Black/Silver based on regiments of the officers commissioned

Ranks	Description	Insignia	Collar Patch[12]	Notes[13][14]	Retirement age
Field marshal	National emblem over a crossed baton and sabre in a lotus blossom wreath.		Crimson patches with five golden stars and golden laurel wreath	Only two appointments have ever been made.	Not applicable. Life Long
General	National emblem over a five-pointed star, all over a crossed baton and sabre.		Crimson patches with four golden stars and golden laurel wreath	Held by the Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army and Chief of Defence Staff, if from the army (but with slightly different insignia). Equivalent to Cabinet Secretary of India Pay Level 18, Rs. 250,000	3 years as COAS or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier. 3 years as CDS or at age of 65, whichever is earlier.
Lieutenant General	National emblem over crossed baton and sabre.		Crimson patches with three golden stars and golden laurel wreath (army and theatre commanders) Crimson patches with three golden stars (corps commanders, other positions)	By selection. 36 years of commissioned service required. Lieutenant generals appointed as Vice Chief of Army Staff/Army Commanders/Equivalent at Pay Level 17, Rs.225,000 HAG + Scale: Admissible to 1/3rd of total strength of Lt Generals Pay Level 16, Rs.205,400 - 224,400 HAG Scale: Pay Level 15, Rs. 182,200 - 224,100	60
Major General	Five-pointed star over crossed baton and sabre.		Crimson patches with two golden stars	By selection. 28 years of commissioned service required. Pay Level 14, Rs. 144,200 - 218,200	58
Brigadier	National emblem over three five-pointed stars in a triangular formation.		Crimson patches with one golden star	By selection. 25 years of commissioned service required. Pay Level 13A, Rs.1,39,600 - 2,17,600	56
Colonel	National emblem over two five-pointed stars		Crimson patches with golden braids	Colonel and above are Selection Grade. 15 years of commissioned service required for selection. Duration of Time Scale promotion to Colonel is 26 years of commissioned service. Pay Level 13, Rs. 130,600 - 215,900	54
Lieutenant Colonel	National emblem over five-pointed star.		None	On completion of 13 years reckonable commissioned service subject to clearance of Part D exam. Pay Level 12A, Rs. 121,200 -212,400	NA
Major	National emblem.		None	On completion of 6 years reckonable commissioned service subject to clearance of Part B exam. Pay Level 11, Rs. 69,400 - 207,200	NA
Captain	Three five-pointed stars.		None	On completion of 2 years reckonable commissioned service. Pay Level 10B, Rs. 61,300 - 193,900	NA
Lieutenant	Two five-pointed stars.		None	On commissioning into Indian Army as an Officer in Pay Level 10 Rs. 56,100 - 177,500	NA
Officer Cadet	Shoulder tags with training academy name	No insignia	Term and Company badges	On getting inducted in the Indian Army. Fixed stipend as applicable	NA

In the Indian Army, Officer Cadets are known as Gentlemen Cadets/Lady Cadets. Gentlemen Cadets(GCs) join Indian Military Academy(IMA)/Officer's Training Academy(OTA) after going through a Service Selection Board. GCs undergo a pre-commission training programme at IMA/OTA, which is equally divided into terms.

Junior commissioned officers are promoted from non-commissioned officers and are broadly equivalent to warrant officers in Western armies.

Ranks		Description	Insignia	Retirement Age
Infantry and other arms	Cavalry and Armour
Subedar major	Risaldar major	Golden national emblem with stripe		After 34 years service or at the age of 54, whichever is sooner.
Subedar	Risaldar	Two golden stars with stripe		After 30 years service or at the age of 52, whichever is sooner.
Naib subedar	Naib risaldar	One golden star with stripe		After 28 years service or at the age of 52, whichever is sooner.

Other ranks in the Indian Army include Non-Commissioned Officers ("NCOs") and Soldiers ("sepoys" or "jawans")

Non-Commissioned Officers ("NCOs") are soldiers promoted to positions of responsibility and are equivalent to junior non-commissioned officers (sergeants and corporals) in Western armies.

Ranks		Description	Insignia	Retirement Age
Infantry and other arms	Cavalry and armour
Havildar	Daffadar	Three rank chevrons		After 26 years service or at the age of 49, whichever is sooner.
Naik	Lance Daffadar	Two rank chevrons		After 23 years service or at the age of 49, whichever is sooner.
Lance Naik	Acting Lance Daffadar	Single rank chevron		After 19 years service or at the age of 48, whichever is sooner.

Honorary ranks and honor, also called brevet, are granted in the Indian Army, and its branches such as India Territorial Army (TA), for various reasons. These ranks may not entitle the rank holder to pay, pension, or perks (e.g. ranks given to celebrities).

Since the time of the British raj,[15] exemplary soldiers who are about to retire are given honorary ranks, usually a few days before their retirement, although these ranks can be granted at any time. Examples include the grant of the rank of Field Marshal, which is rarely granted. Most frequently, honorary ranks that are granted are those of junior commissioned officers, which are granted 1 or 2 weeks before retirement.

In order to inspire Indian youths to join Indian Army, and to acknowledges contribution towards the nation, honorary ranks are awarded to the accomplished and eminent personalities who act as brand ambassadors for the defence forces. The following were awarded honorary titles:[16]

• Indian Army (IA)
  • Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, 2013, Colonel, IA, ex-soldier and sport shooter and politician.[16]
  • Deepak Rao, 2011, Major, TA (Para), military trainer and author.[16]
  • Milkha Singh, 1958, JCO, IA, ex-soldier and athlete.[16]
  • Vijay Kumar, 2012, JCO, IA, ex-soldier of Dogra Regiment (16th Battalion) Indian and sport shooter,[16]

• Indian Army's Territorial Army (TA)
  • Kapil Dev, 2008, Lieutenant Colonel, TA, cricketer.[16]
  • Mohanlal Vishwanath Nair, 2009, Lieutenant Colonel, TA, Malayalam actor.[16]
  • Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 2011, Lieutenant Colonel, TA (Para), cricketer.[16]
  • Abhinav Bindra, 2011, Lieutenant Colonel, TA (Sikh Regiment), sport shooter and politician.[16]
  • Sachin Pilot, 2012, Lieutenant, TA (Sikh Regiment), politician.[16]

Trainees of foreign nations who are trained by the military academies of India, such as the National Defence Academy (NDA) or the Indian Military Academy (IMA), are sometimes awarded honorary ranks in the Indian Army. The trainees are usually from friendly armies, such as the Singapore Army.

Since 1950, when former Indian army chief General K. M. Cariappa visited Nepal, awarding the highest reciprocal honorary ranks to the newly appointed serving chiefs of each other’s armies is a practice followed by India and Nepal. For example, in 2009 the newly appointed Nepal Army Chief General Chhatra Man Singh Gurung was decorated with the honorary rank of General of the Indian army in New Delhi by the President of India who is also the Supreme Commander of Indian Army. Similarly, in 2010 the newly appointed Indian Army Chief General V. K. Singh was awarded the honorary rank of General of Nepal Army at Shital Niwas by the President of Nepal who is also the Supreme Commander of Nepal Army.[17]

Some members of the ruling families of Princely states were given ceremonial honorary ranks during the colonial era.[15]

A 1832 journal reports that during the colonial British raj era, the Commander-in-Chief of British Army (ex officio role of the serving Monarch of Britain) promulgated an order directing that the Lieutenant colonel of H.M. (Royal British Army) can not be superseded by the East India Company's Indian Army's Lieutenant Colonel. Whenever an Indian Army's Lieutenant colonel was promoted to Colonel, all the British Army's Lieutenant Colonels who were deployed with the Indian Army and had the equal date and rank with the newly-appointed Colonel of Indian Army were also mandatorily given the local Indian Army's honorary rank of Colonel from the date of his Lieutenant Colonelcy with British Army. This unfair system preserved the fictional equivalency of British Army officers with Indian Army officers while denying the officers of Indian Army their hard-earned honors and ranks within their peculiar service. This was not a reciprocal system, i.e. Lieutenant Colonel of East India Company (EIC) (Indian Army) were not promoted to Colonels rank when a British Army Lieutenant Colonel of equal date and rank was promoted to Colonel's rank in Indian army. For example, when a ranked Lieutenant Colonel of Bengal Presidency's Indian Army was promoted to Colonel he was ranked 34th on general list, he superseded 33 other Lieutenant Colonels of Indian Army, along with him all of the British Army's Lieutenant Colonel serving with the Bengal Presidency were also given honorary rank of Colonel of Bengal Presidency and they superseded 33 Lieutenant Colonels of Indian Army who were their seniors. The army officers of EIC appealed against this derogatory and non-reciprocal system in EIC's Court of Directors. EIC directors had no authority to revoke or amend the order issued by the British monarch.[18]