Indian Armed Forces | ||||||
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Military Manpower | ||||||
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Components | ||||||
Indian Army Indian Navy Indian Air Force Indian Coast Guard Border Roads Organisation Paramilitary forces of India Central Armed Police Forces Strategic Nuclear Command | ||||||
History | ||||||
Military history of India | ||||||
Ranks and insignia | ||||||
Army • Navy • Air Force • Coast Guard • BRO • Paramilitary forces and CAPF | ||||||
The Indian Armed Forces follow the UK/Commonwealth ranking system, and their general and flag officers use rank flags.
Flag | Date | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Flag of the Indian Armed Forces | A horizontal tricolour of red, navy blue and sky blue with the tri-service emblem at the centre. | ||
Flag of the Chief of Defence Staff | A red field with the flag of India in the canton, and the tri-service emblem. | ||
Flag of the Integrated Defence Staff | A red field with the flag of India in the canton, There is insignia of two cross swords, an eagle, an anchor and an Ashok symbol above it |
Flag | Date | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Flag of the Indian Army | A red field with the flag of India in the canton, and the Army badge in the fly. | ||
Flag of the Field Marshal | Red flag with crossed batons surrounded by a lotus flower wreath, the Ashoka lion emblem above the batons and five five-pointed stars across the bottom, all in yellow. [1] | ||
Flag of the Chief of the Army Staff | Red flag with the national flag in the canton, with two crossed swords and the Ashoka lions emblem above them in the center of the flag and four five-pointed stars in a vertical line in the fly all yellow. [2] | ||
Flag of the General | |||
Flag of the Vice Chief of the Army Staff | |||
Flag of the Lieutenant General | |||
Flag of the Principal Staff Officer | |||
Flag of the Major General | |||
Flag of the Brigadier |
Flag | Date | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Flag of the Indian Navy | A white ensign, featuring the Flag of India in the canton, and a navy blue filled, gold-bordered octagon, enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy, located in the fly. | ||
Commissioning pennant of the Indian Navy | A white triangular pennant with a gold-bordered octagon enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy in the hoist. | ||
President's Colour of the Indian Navy | Indian Naval ensign with State Emblem of India. | ||
Flag of the Admiral (rank currently reserved for the Chief of the Naval Staff) | A white flag with a gold-bordered octagon enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy in the middle, and four blue stars in the hoist side. | ||
Flag of the Vice admiral (also Vice Chief of the Naval Staff) | A white flag with a gold-bordered octagon enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy in the middle, and three blue stars in the hoist side. | ||
Flag of the Rear admiral | A white flag with a gold-bordered octagon enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy in the middle, and two blue stars in the hoist side. | ||
Flag of the Commodore | A white flag with a gold-bordered octagon enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy in the middle, and one blue star in the hoist side. |
Flag | Date | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1950-2001 | Indian Naval Ensign | A red cross on a white field, with the Indian national flag in the canton. | |
2004–2014 | A red cross on a white field, with the Indian state emblem in yellow at the center, with the Indian national flag in the canton. | ||
2014–2022 | A red cross on a white field, with the Indian state emblem in yellow at the center with the motto Satyamev Jayate below, and the Indian national flag in the canton. | ||
1951-2022 | President's Colour | Indian Naval ensign with Presidential Standard elephant. | |
Commissioning pennant | A white triangular pennant with at hoist the St. George's red cross defaced with the Ashoka Chakra. | ||
Flag of the Admiral (was only used by Chief of the Naval Staff) | |||
Flag of the Vice Admiral (also Vice Chief of the Naval Staff) | |||
Flag of the Rear Admiral | |||
Flag of the Commodore | |||
Flag of the Senior officer |
Flag | Date | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Flag of the Indian Air Force | A sky-blue ensign with the flag of India in the canton, the Air Force roundel in the lower fly, and the IAF badge in the upper fly. [3] | ||
President's Colour of the Indian Air Force | Air Force ensign with Presidential Standard elephant. | ||
Flag of the Marshal of the Indian Air Force | Sky blue flag with the badge of the IAF in the center, and 5 five-pointed gold stars in a vertical line in the fly. Only one person has ever been granted the right to this flag. [4] | ||
Flag of the Air Chief Marshal (rank currently reserved for the Chief of the Air Staff) | Sky blue flag with the national flag in the canton, the IAF roundel in the lower fly, the IAF badge in the upper fly, and 5 five-pointed gold stars in a vertical line in the fly.. [5] | ||
Flag of the Air Marshal (also Vice Chief of the Air Staff) | Sky blue flag with IAF roundel in the center surmounted by eagle; 3 five-pointed gold stars in a vertical line in the fly. | ||
Flag of the Air Vice Marshal | Sky blue flag with IAF roundel in the center surmounted by eagle; 2 five-pointed gold stars in a vertical line in the fly. | ||
Flag of the Air Commodore | Sky blue flag with IAF roundel in the center surmounted by eagle; 1 five-pointed gold star in the fly. | ||
Flag of the Group Captain | Flag of Sky blue triangular pennant with IAF roundel in the center surmounted by eagle. | ||
Flag of the Wing Commander | Sky blue triangular pennant with IAF roundel in the center. |
Flag | Date | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1950-2023 | Flag of the Indian Air Force | A sky-blue ensign with the flag of India in the canton, and the Air Force roundel in the fly. [6] | |
1980-2023 | Flag of the Air Chief Marshal (was only used by Chief of the Air Staff) | Sky blue flag with the national flag in the canton, the IAF roundel in the lower fly, and the IAF badge in the upper fly. [7] | |
The former IAF rank flags were modeled on those of the Royal Air Force, with different colours. [8]
Flag | Date | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1950–1980 | Marshal of the Indian Air Force | Never used. [9] | |
1950–1980 | Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force | Sky blue bordered with two thick golden yellow stripes and with two thick horizontal green stripes in the center. | |
1950–1980 | Air Marshal of the Indian Air Force | Sky blue flag bordered with two thick horizontal golden yellow stripes, with one thick horizontal green stripe in the center. | |
1950–1980 | Air Vice Marshal of the Indian Air Force | Sky blue flag bordered with two thick horizontal golden yellow stripes, with two thin horizontal green stripes in the center. | |
1950–1980 | Air Commodore of the Indian Air Force | Swallowtail sky blue pennant bordered with two thick horizontal golden yellow stripes, with one thin horizontal green stripe in the center. | |
1950–1980 | Group Captain of the Indian Air Force | Triangular sky blue pennant bordered in golden yellow, with one thick horizontal green stripe in the center. | |
1950–1980 | Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force | Triangular sky blue pennant bordered in golden yellow, with two thin horizontal green stripes in the center. | |
1950–1980 | Squadron Leader of the Indian Air Force | Sky blue flag bordered with two thick horizontal golden yellow stripes, with one thin horizontal green stripe in the center surmounted by an eagle in green. Below the stripe is the squadron number. |
Flag | Date | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Flag of the Indian Coast Guard | A Blue Ensign with the Flag of India in the canton, and the Coast Guard badge in the fly. | ||
Flag of the Director General of the Indian Coast Guard | A Blue Ensign with the Flag of India in the canton, and the Coast Guard badge in the fly. | ||
Flag of the Additional Director General of the Indian Coast Guard | |||
Flag of the Inspector-General of the Indian Coast Guard | |||
Flag of the Deputy Inspector-General of the Indian Coast Guard | |||
Flag of the Commandant of the Indian Coast Guard |
Commodore is a senior naval rank used in many navies which is equivalent to brigadier or brigadier general and air commodore. It is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. It is either regarded as the most junior of the flag officers rank or may not hold the jurisdiction of a flag officer at all depending on the officer's appointment. Non-English-speaking nations commonly use the rank of flotilla admiral, counter admiral, or senior captain as an equivalent, although counter admiral may also correspond to rear admiral lower half abbreviated as RDML.
Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral.
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant or secretary to a person of high rank, usually a senior military, police or government officer, or to a member of a royal family or a head of state.
This is a table of the ranks and insignia of the Canadian Armed Forces. As the Canadian Armed Forces is officially bilingual, the French language ranks are presented following the English.
Squadron leader is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence.
A cadet is a student or trainee, and is typically used in military settings to denote an individual undergoing training to become commissioned officers. Several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime organisations, and police services, also designate their trainees as cadets.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is a maritime law enforcement and search and rescue agency of India with jurisdiction over its territorial waters including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone. It was started on 1 February 1977 and formally established on 18 August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament of India. It operates under the Ministry of Defence.
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which the officer exercises command.
The National Defence Academy (NDA) is the joint defence service training institute of the Indian Armed Forces, where cadets of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force train together before they go on to their respective service academy for further pre-commission training. The NDA is located in Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra. It is the first tri-service academy in the world.
The Indian Navy (IN), the naval component of the Indian Armed Forces follows a certain hierarchy of rank designations and insignia derived from the erstwhile Royal Indian Navy (RIN).
The Indian Air Force (IAF), the aerial component of the Indian Armed Forces follows a certain hierarchy of rank designations and insignia derived from the erstwhile Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF).
The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) uses a simplified ranking system for the three branches of Indonesian Army, Indonesian Navy and Indonesian Air Force. Most of the ranks are similar with differences for the rank titles of the high-ranking officers. Exception exists, however, in the ranks of the service members of the Indonesian Marine Corps. While Indonesian Marine Corps is a branch of the Navy, the rank titles of the Marine Corps are the same as those of the Army, but it still uses the Navy's style insignia.
The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces are supported by the Central Armed Police Forces, Indian Coast Guard and Special Frontier Force and various inter-service commands and institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command, the Andaman and Nicobar Command and the Integrated Defence Staff. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces but the executive authority and responsibility for national security is vested in the Prime Minister of India and their chosen Cabinet Ministers. The Indian Armed Forces are under the management of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India. With strength of over 1.4 million active personnel, it is the world's second-largest military force and has the world's largest volunteer army. It also has the third-largest defence budget in the world. The Global Firepower Index report lists it as the fourth most-powerful military.
Admiral Arun Prakash, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM is a former Flag Officer of the Indian Navy. He served as the Chief of the Naval Staff from 31 July 2004 to 31 October 2006 and as the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee from 31 January 2005 to 31 October 2006. He is one of India's most decorated naval officers.
The National Defence College, located in New Delhi, is the defence service training institute and highest seat of strategic learning for officers of the Defence Service and the Civil Services. This is a very prestigious course attended only by a few hand-picked defence officers of One-Star rank and civil servants of the rank of Joint secretary to the Government of India. Each year, approximately 25 officers from friendly foreign countries like the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, UAE and others attend the course.
In the Indian Armed Forces women are allowed to join in combat service support branches and in non combatant roles only and they can only become officers except the Corps of Military Police of the Indian Army where women can become sepoys too. The Indian Air Force's officer corps had 13.09% women in 2018 and 8.50% in women 2014; the Indian Navy's officer corps had 6% women in 2018 and 3% women in 2014 and the Indian Army's officer corps had 3.80% women in 2018 and 3% women in 2014. In 2020, three officers had the rank of lieutenant-general or equivalent, all in the Medical Services. In May 2021, 83 women were inducted as sepoys for the first time in the Indian Army, in the Corps of Military Police.
The Indian military bands consists of musicians from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Indian military bands regularly participate in international festivals and take part in celebrations dedicated to various national events. These bands are permanent participants in the Delhi Republic Day parade on the Kartavya Path. Today, the Indian Armed Forces have more than 50 military brass bands and 400 pipe bands and corps of drums. A Tri-Services Band refers to a joint Indian Armed Forces military band that performs together as a unit. At the Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival and Tattoo in Moscow, the band consisted of 7 officers and 55 musicians. The Military Music Wing of the Army Education Corps is the principal educational institution of the armed forces that provides instruction to musicians of all ranks. Instruction is also provided by the Military Music Training Center and the Indian Navy School of Music.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is the principal military authority and senior-most appointment of the Indian Armed Forces. Deemed the overall professional head of India’s three armed services, namely, the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, the CDS is the highest-ranking military officer in service, responsible for overseeing inter-service jointness across all disciplines related to military functioning. Primarily, the office operates on a status of primus inter pares i.e., first among equals with the chiefs of the three services, and functions as the Permanent-Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) – the inter-service syndicate responsible for ensuring the establishment-cum-preservation of military integration.
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