Air Force ranks and insignia of India

Equivalent ranks of Indian military

Commission	Indian Navy	Indian Army	Indian Air Force
Commissioned	Admiral of the fleet	Field marshal	Marshal of the Indian Air Force
	Admiral	General	Air chief marshal
	Vice admiral	Lieutenant general	Air marshal
	Rear admiral	Major general	Air vice marshal
	Commodore	Brigadier	Air commodore
	Captain	Colonel	Group captain
	Commander	Lieutenant colonel	Wing commander
	Lieutenant commander	Major	Squadron leader
	Lieutenant	Captain	Flight lieutenant
	Sub lieutenant	Lieutenant	Flying officer
Junior commissioned	Master chief petty officer 1st class	Subedar major	Master warrant officer
	Master chief petty officer 2nd class	Subedar	Warrant officer
	Chief petty officer	Naib subedar	Junior warrant officer
Non-commissioned	Petty officer	Havildar/Daffadar	Sergeant
	Leading seaman	Naik/Lance daffadar	Corporal
	Seaman 1	Lance naik/Acting Lance-Daffadar	Leading aircraftsman
	Seaman 2	Sepoy/Sowar	Aircraftsman

The Indian Air Force's rank structure is based on that of the Royal Air Force. The highest rank attainable in the Indian Air Force is Marshal of the Indian Air Force, conferred by the President of India after exceptional service during wartime. MIAF Arjan Singh was the only officer to have achieved this rank. The head of the Indian Air Force is the Chief of the Air Staff, who holds the rank of Air Chief Marshal. The current Chief of the Air Staff is Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, took office on 30 September 2021.

Officer ranks

The following table shows the officer rank insignia for the Indian Air Force.

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Service uniform

Indian Air Force

Marshal of the Indian Air Force मार्शल ऑफ द इंडियन एयरफोर्स

Air chief marshal एयर चीफ मार्शल

Air marshal एयर मार्शल

Air vice marshal एयर वाइस मार्शल

Air commodore एयर कमोडोर

Group captain ग्रुप कैप्टन

Wing commander विंग कमांडर

Squadron leader स्क्वाड्रन लीडर

Flight lieutenant फ्लाइट लैफ्टिनेंट

Flying officer फ्लाइंग अफसर

Ceremonial/ War time rank

Held by the Chief of Defence Staff and/or the Chief of the Air Staff

The IAF rank of pilot officer is a rank in abeyance in the Air Force and is no longer in force, all officers begin as flying officers upon commissioning.

Junior commissioned officer and non-commissioned ranks

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers										Non commissioned officer																								Enlisted

Former ranks and rank insignia

The rank of Pilot Officer is no longer in use; all new officers are commissioned as Flying Officers. The old warrant officer ranks and the rank of flight sergeant were replaced in 1977 by the new warrant officer ranks.

Ranks of the Indian Air Force no longer in use

	Officers		Non-commissioned officers
Shoulder Insignia		Arm
Rank	Pilot officer		Warrant officer	Junior warrant officer	Flight sergeant

See also

• Comparative military ranks
• Army ranks and insignia of India
• Naval ranks and insignia of India
• Coast Guard ranks and insignia of India
• Border Roads Organisation ranks and insignia of India
• Paramilitary forces ranks and insignia of India
• Police ranks and insignia of India