Army ranks and insignia of India: Difference between revisions

Upon independence in 1947, India became a [[Dominion of India|dominion]] within the British [[Commonwealth of Nations]], but the old rank insignia, incorporating the [[Tudor Crown (heraldry)|Tudor Crown]] and four-pointed [[Order of the Bath|Bath Star]] ('pip'), was retained, as King [[George VI of the United Kingdom|George VI]] remained Commander-in-Chief of the [[Indian Armed Forces]]. Until 26 January 1950, when India became a republic, the Indian Army utilised the British-pattern rank badges of the [[British Indian Army]].

After 26 January 1950, when India became a [[Republic of India|republic]], the [[President of India]] became Commander-in-Chief, and the [[Lion Capital of Ashoka]] (the [[State Emblem of India]]) replaced the crown, with a five-pointed star being substituted for the 'pip'.<ref name="insignia">{{cite web|title=New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services|url=http://pib.nic.in/archive/docs/DVD_38/ACC%20NO%20807-BR/HOM-1950-01-06_484.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive}}</ref>

India has a field marshal rank, but it is mostly ceremonial. There are no field marshals in the army organizational structure at present and it has been conferred on only two officers in the past, the late [[Sam Manekshaw|Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw]] and the late [[Kodandera Madappa Cariappa|Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Field Marshal KM Cariappa : The First Indian Chief of Independent India |url=https://www.aviation-defence-universe.com/field-marshal-km-cariappa-the-first-indian-chief-of-independent-india/ |website=Aviation & Defence Universe |publisher=Aviation & Defence Universe |ref=The Government of India conferred the rank of Field Marshal on Cariappa in 1983.}}</ref>

Field marshals hold their rank for life and are considered to be serving officers until their death. Unlike other officers, they do not draw a pension. A field marshal gets the full pay of a general equal to the [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]]. They wear full uniforms on all official occasions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Did You Know That Only 3 People Have Been Given The Highest Ranks In The Indian Armed Forces? |url=https://www.scoopwhoop.com/Highest-ranks-in-Indian-Armed-Forces/#.53j2ve5ta |ref=Field Marshals hold their rank for life, there is no retirement and they are considered as serving officers till their death. This also means that they do not draw a pension and are on the payroll for the rest of their lives. Like other army officers, Field Marshals are required to be in full uniform during any official occasion.}}</ref>

| colspan=2| Held by the<br>[[Chief of Defence Staff (India)|Chief of Defence Staff]] ([[Chief of Defence Staff (India)#/media/File:Rank insignia for India CDS.svg|with different insignia]])<br>and/or the<br>[[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]]

! Rank group|| colspan=10| Junior commissioned officers || colspan=12| Non commissioned officer || colspan=14| Enlisted

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]]

| Not applicable. Life-Long

|Held by the [[Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army]] and [[Chief of Defence Staff (India)|Chief of Defence Staff]], if from the army (but with slightly [[Chief of Defence Staff (India)#/media/File:Rank insignia for India CDS.svg|different insignia]]). Equivalent to [[Cabinet Secretary of India]]

Rs.205,400–224,400

Rs. 182,200–224,100

Rs. 144,200–218,200

Rs.139,600–2,17,600

Rs. 130,600–215,900

Rs. 121,200–212,400

Rs. 69,400–207,200

Rs. 61,300–193,900

Rs. 56,100–177,500

| On getting inducted in the Indian Army.

The current living recipients of the [[Param Veer Chakra]] are all from JCO ranks namely [[Bana Singh]] Retd, [[Sanjay Kumar (soldier)|Sanjay Kumar]], and [[Yogendra Singh Yadav]].<ref>{{cite web |title=3 Living Legends Of Indian Army – Param Veer Chakra Winners |url=https://www.ssbcrack.com/2015/07/3-living-legends-of-indian-army-param-veer-chakra-winners.html |website=SSB Crack |publisher=ssbcrack.com}}</ref>

| After 34 years service or at the age of 54, whichever is sooner.<ref name="7th_pay">{{cite web |url=https://www.finmin.nic.in/sites/default/files/7cpc_report_eng.pdf?download=1 |title=Report of the Seventh Central Pay Commission |pages=397–398|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=November 2015 |website= |publisher=Government of India |access-date=4 April 2021}}</ref>

JCOs are currently enrolled as jawans and few of them get promoted to officers over a period of time-based on their performance and on their ability to clear promotion examinations. A few JCOs are directly enrolled as religious teachers and in certain technical arms such as the [[Indian Army Corps of Engineers|Corps of Engineers]]. As of 2021, the Indian Army is discussing a proposal to directly enrol Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) in all arms of the service to address the shortage of commissioned officers. According to the proposal, the Indian Army will directly induct JCOs who have cleared the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview. The UPSC will conduct an entrance examination, which would be followed by an SSB interview and a medical examination. Selected candidates would then be trained for one and a half years before joining the units as JCOs. Subsequently, they would be promoted to officers up to the rank of Colonels based on their length of service and qualifications.<ref>{{cite news |title=Indian Army to recruit 14000 JCOs Soon |url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/articles/indian-army-recruitment-2021-eligibility-selection-criteria-1617602767-1 |agency=Jagran Prakashan Ltd |publisher=Jagran Prakashan Ltd}}</ref>

{{ anchor | H | Honorary | Honorary ranks }}

Honorary ranks and honour, also called [[Brevet (military)|brevet]], are granted in the Indian Army, and its branches such as [[Territorial Army (India)|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).

In order to inspire Indian youths to join the Indian Army, and to acknowledge 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:<ref name=reciprocal3>{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Anshika |title=10 Celebrities with Military Ranks that motivate Youth to Join the Indian defence Forces |url=http://www.indianyouth.net/10-celebrities-military-ranks-motivate-youth-join-indian-defence-forces |website=IndianYouth.net}}</ref>

<!-- sorted by the higher rank first, if the rank is same then further sorted by the earlier year. i.e. people of higher ranks are listed first. When the rank is same, then the person who was given the rank earlier is more senior and hence listed first. -->

** [[Kapil Dev]], 2008, Lieutenant Colonel, TA, cricketer.<ref name="reciprocal3" />  

** [[Mohanlal|Mohanlal Viswanathan]], 2009, Lieutenant Colonel, TA ([[Madras Regiment]]), Malayalam actor.<ref name="reciprocal3" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=9 July 2009 |title=Mohanlal inducted into Territorial Army |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/mohanlal-inducted-into-territorial-army-397652 |website=[[NDTV]]}}</ref>

** [[MS Dhoni|Mahendra Singh Dhoni]], 2011, Lieutenant Colonel, TA ([[Para (Special Forces)|Para]]), cricketer.<ref name="reciprocal3" />

** [[Abhinav Bindra]], 2011, Lieutenant Colonel, TA ([[Sikh Regiment]]), sport shooter and politician.<ref name="reciprocal3" />

**[[Deepak Rao]], 2011, Major, TA (Para), military trainer and author.<ref name="reciprocal3" />

Since 1950, when former Indian army chief General [[K. M. Cariappa]] visited Nepal, awarding the highest reciprocal [[Brevet (military)|honorary rank]]s 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 [[Chief of Army Staff (Nepal)|Nepal Army Chief]] General [[Chhatra Man Singh Gurung]] was decorated with the honorary rank of General of the Indian army at [[Rashtrapati Bhavan]] in New Delhi by the [[President of India]] who is also the [[Indian Armed Forces#Overview|Supreme Commander of Indian Army]]. Similarly, in 2010 the newly appointed [[Chief of Army Staff (India)|Indian Army Chief]] General [[V. K. Singh]] was awarded the honorary rank of General of Nepal Army at [[Shital Niwas]] in Kathmandu by the [[President of Nepal]] who is also the [[Nepalese Armed Forces#SC|Supreme Commander of Nepal Army]].<ref name=reciprocal1>{{cite news | title = Army chief made honorary General of Nepal Army | url = https://www.hindustantimes.com/world/army-chief-made-honorary-general-of-nepal-army/story-KC2V94SmrdtKR9WJ0vUC2L.html |date = 22 December 2010 | newspaper = [[Hindustan Times]] | access-date = 28 May 2020 }}</ref>

==== British Colonial era: Indian Army ranks to British Army ====

{{ anchor | BR | British raj }}

An 1832 journal reports that during the colonial [[British raj]] era, the Commander-in-Chief of [[British Army]] ([[Ex officio member|ex officio]] role of the serving [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Monarch of Britain]]) promulgated an order directing that the Lieutenant colonel of [[Her Majesty's Government (term)|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 the Indian Army their hard-earned honours and ranks within their peculiar service. This was not a reciprocal system, i.e. Lieutenant Colonel of [[East India Company| 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 the 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 the 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.<ref name=reciprocal2>May-Aug 1832, [https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=E8RGAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=Indian+army+reciprocal+ranks&source=bl&ots=s3dlnSHg35&sig=ACfU3U3alqis_SA_xBBdCQUkuhc4I1qwoQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj_sY_M19bpAhW8H7cAHS0RCIUQ6AEwF3oECAsQAQ#v=onepage&q=Indian%20army%20reciprocal%20ranks&f=false The Asiatic journal and monthly register for British and foreign India, China, and Australasia], [[The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British India and its Dependencies]], Parbury, Allen and Company, vol III, pp 66.</ref>