Army ranks and insignia of India: Difference between revisions

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[[Indian Army]] Ranks can be broadly classified into three categories: Commissioned Officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks.

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.

{{Equivalent ranks of Indian military}}

===Current ranks===

| colspan=2| Honorary/<br />War time rank

| 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]]

;Enlisted ranks

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

* [[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 appointments of [[Havildar|Regimental Quartermaster Havildar]] and [[Havildar|Regimental Havildar Major]] are no longer used in the [[Indian Army]] and those duties are now performed by JCOs.<ref>{{cite web |last=Personnel Services Directorate |title=Psdte311212 |url=http://www.indianarmy.gov.in/writereaddata/documents/psdte311212.pdf |access-date=4 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=DSR Volume I, Chapter IV—JCOs, WOs, OR AND NON-COMBATANTS (ENROLLED) |url=http://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/RTI/rti/DSR/DSR_VOLUME_1/CHAPTER_04/53.htm |date=2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109212304/http://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/RTI/rti/DSR/DSR_VOLUME_1/CHAPTER_04/53.htm |archive-date=9 November 2014 |website=Indian Army |access-date=4 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Kumar |first=M. K. Sunil |title=Rules of the Raj hindering havildars' promotion |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/article283262.ece |date=16 May 2012 |newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]] |access-date=3 August 2015}}</ref>

**Commissioned Officers who are equivalent to All India Services & Group "A" Service officers.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Singh|first1=Navdeep|title=Clarification on the nature of 'Group-A' services|url=http://www.indianmilitary.info/2009/05/clarification-on-nature-of-group.html|website=India Military Info|publisher=India Military Info|access-date=22 February 2018}}</ref>

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) <ref>{{cite web|last1=Times|first1=Hindustan|title=Army defers key annual promotion exam amid LoC tensions|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/army-defers-key-annual-promotion-exam-amid-loc-tensions/story-J0Ub4DBggvuhUBOa3kR0rO.html|website=Hindustan Times|publisher=Hindustan Times|access-date=22 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=India|first1=USI|title=PROSPECTUS|url=http://usiofindia.org/Courses/Prospectus/|website=USI|publisher=USI of India|access-date=22 February 2018}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Government of India |title=MoD Letter No. 1/55/2008 D(Pay/Services)—Terms and Conditions of Service |url=http://indianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/documents/PS010113.pdf |date=4 November 2008 |website=Indian Army |publisher=Government of India, Ministry of Defence |access-date=4 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Tirkey |first1=Ajay |title=Ministry of Defence Resolution—Sixth Central Pay Commission |url=http://mod.gov.in/writereaddata/6thCPC/PAYSERVICES-notification.pdf |date=30 August 2008 |newspaper=[[The Gazette of India]] |access-date=4 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095821/http://mod.gov.in/writereaddata/6thCPC/PAYSERVICES-notification.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NCC Spl entry Scheme|url=http://joinindianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/Portal/NotificationPDF/Noftn_NCC-39_Course.pdf|website=joinindianarmy.nic.in|publisher=Indian Army|access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref> 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.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

! width=39%|Notes<ref>{{cite web|title=Army Pay Rules|url=https://mod.gov.in/sites/default/files/Armypayrules.pdf|website=MoD|publisher=GoI. MoD|access-date=21 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Army|first1=Indian|title=NCC SPL ENTRY NOTIFCATION|url=http://joinindianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/Portal/NotificationPDF/NCC_SPL_ENTRY_44_COURSE_MEN_AND_WOMEN_OCT_2018.pdf|website=Indian Army Offl website|publisher=Indian Army|access-date=22 February 2018}}</ref>

| Crimson patches with five golden stars and golden laurel wreath

|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]]

36 years of commissioned service required.

[[Junior commissioned officer]]s are promoted from [[non-commissioned officer]]s and are broadly equivalent to [[Warrant Officer|warrant officers]] in Western armies. Senior non-commissioned officers are promoted to JCO rank on the basis of merit and seniority, restricted by the number of vacancies. In between the Commissioned Officer and the NCOs lies the Junior Commissioned Officers. They are treated with great respect as they have a minimum of 28 yrs and over service and are referred to as ''Sahab'' by all ranks.<ref>{{cite news |title=The indomitable Subedar Major |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/column/the-indomitable-subedar-major-702697 |agency=The Tribune}}</ref>  

Junior commissioned officers are treated as a separate class and hold many additional privileges. In the army, they have a separate mess (the JCO's mess), get well-furnished family quarters, and are authorized to travel in AC II-tier on the railways.<ref>{{cite news |title=Benefits, and challenges military personnel and their families face. |url=https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/benefits-and-challenges-military-personnel-and-their-families-face-1554315886721.html}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web |title=Insignia For Junior Commissioned Officers |url=https://www.embibe.com/exams/indian-army-ranks/ |website=Embibe}}</ref>

! width=20%; colspan=2|Ranks

| [[Subedar major]]

| [[Risaldar major]]

| [[Subedar]]

| [[Risaldar]]

| [[Naib subedar]]

| [[Naib risaldar]]

! width=20%; colspan=2|Ranks

| [[Havildar]]

| [[Daffadar]]

| [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]]

| [[Lance Daffadar]]

| [[Lance Naik]]

| [[Acting Lance Daffadar]]

| Plain shoulder badge only

| After 15 years 56 Days service or at the age of 42, whichever is sooner.<ref name="7th_pay"/>

Many arms have separate designation for ''sepoys''-

*[[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]] - [[Gunner (rank)|Gunner]], abbreviated as Gnr.

*[[Rifle regiment#Indian Army|Rifle regiments]] - [[Rifleman]], abbreviated as Rfn.

*[[Parachute Regiment (India)|Parachute Regiment]] - [[Paratrooper]], abbreviated as Ptr.

*[[The Grenadiers|Grenadiers]] - [[Grenadier]]

*[[Brigade of the Guards]] - [[Guardsman]]

*[[Indian Army Corps of Engineers|Engineers]] - [[Sapper]]

*[[Indian Army Corps of Signals|Corps of Signals]] - [[Signaller|Signalman]]

** [[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>

On 21 July 2014, the Indian Army issued a circular for retired personnel informing them that the correct form of addressing a retired officer is "Brigadier ABC (Retd) and not Brigadier (Retd) ABC",<ref name=toi>{{cite news |last=Sura |first=Ajay |title=Rank never retires, officer does: Army |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rank-never-retires-officer-does-Army/articleshow/39538647.cms |date=3 August 2014 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |agency=TNN |access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref> the correct example is "Brigadier [[Sant Singh]] (Retd)". The stated rationale of army was, "Rank never retires, it is an officer who retires."<ref name=toi/> This form of address applies to both living and deceased officers.<ref name=toi/>