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Indian Army, Navy, Air Force Ranks – Insignia, Rank Structure
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: September 25th, 2023
Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force Rank third, ninth, and sixth worldwide in terms of largest. Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force is one of the world’s largest volunteer Armed Forces. Many of you are eager to join the Indian Armed Forces, so here we provide you with Army, Navy, Air Force ranks.
This information is very important for those who appear in the SSB interview, as it is seen that the assessor asks about the equivalent Indian Armed Forces ranks. Also, check common rank in Indian Navy and Army along with rank structure of Indian Army, Navy and Airforce.
Table of content
-
1.
Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force Ranks
-
2.
Indian Armed Forces Ranks: Commissioned Officers
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3.
Defence Rank Structure: Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR)
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4.
Rank Structure of Indian Army, Navy and Airforce
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5.
Indian Army, Navy, Air Force Ranks: Insignia
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6.
Special Facts about Indian Armed Forces Ranks
Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force Ranks
The Army, Navy, Air Force ranks are a hierarchical relationship system used in institutions like the armed forces, intelligence services, and others that are structured along military lines. There must be a hierarchy for every person in a given organization for it to function. There is a maintained rank structure of Indian Army, Navy and Airforce based on which powers are granted to these Armed Forces.
The rank structure of Indian Army, Navy and Airforce can be categorized in several. Below we have provided a detailed insight into Army, Navy, Air Force ranks.
Indian Armed Forces Ranks: Commissioned Officers
As per Army, Navy, Air Force ranks, they are Grade-A officers who join the Indian Army through exams such as NDA, CDS, TGC, TES, TA etc. They lead the men into the battlefield & command platoon/company to brigades, division, corps, and the whole army.
Defence Rank Structure: Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR)
According to the Army, Navy, Air Force ranks, they are soldiers who execute responsibilities assigned to them by the commissioned officers. They are recruited through exams like Air Force Group X & Y, Indian Navy Recruitment, MR, and AA. They are further classified into:
- JCO’s (Junior Commissioned Officer)
- NCO’s (Non-Commissioned Officer)
The tables below provides information about equivalent in the Indian Armed Forces ranks. The Army, Navy, and Air Force JCO equivalent ranks are:
| Army, Navy, Air Force Ranks for JCO | ||
| Army | Navy | Air Force |
| Subedar Major | Master Chief Petty Officer (First Class) | Master Warrant Officer |
| Subedar | Master Chief Petty Officer (Second Class) | Warrant Officer |
| Naib Subedar | Chief Petty Officer | Junior Warrant Officer |
The equivalent Army, Navy, and Air Force ranks for NCO are as follows:
| Army, Navy, Air Force Ranks for NCO | ||
| Army | Navy | Air Force |
| Havaldar | Petty Officer | Sergeant |
| Naik | Leading Rate | Corporal |
| Lance Naik | Seaman 1st Class | Leading Aircraftsman |
| Sepoy | Seaman 2nd Class | Aircraftsman |
Rank Structure of Indian Army, Navy and Airforce
Here we are sharing the Indian Armed Forces ranks for officers in Army, Navy and Air Force. Candidates can check the equivalent structure of the Army, Navy, Air Force ranks below:
| Army, Navy, Air Force Ranks | ||
|
Indian Navy |
Indian Army |
Indian Air Force |
| Admiral of the fleet |
Field Marshal |
Marshal of the Air Force |
|
Admiral |
General |
Air Chief Marshal |
| Rear Admiral |
Lieutenant General |
Air Marshal |
|
Vice 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 |
Indian Army, Navy, Air Force Ranks: Insignia
Insignia or shoulder insignia is a badge that represents the ranks of an officer or a person below officer rank. The badges provide a distinction between various Army, Navy, Air Force ranks of the Armed Forces. Below is an image that represents the insignia used by armed forces for various Indian Armed Forces ranks:
Indian Armed Forces Ranks: Army Insignia
The insignia of Commissioned Officers in Indian Army is as follows:
Indian Armed Forces Ranks: PBOR Insignia
The insignia of Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) in Indian Army is as follows:
|
Ranks |
Insignia |
|
Field marshal |
National emblem over a crossed baton and saber in a lotus blossom wreath. |
|
General |
National emblem over a five-pointed star, all over a crossed baton and saber. |
|
Lieutenant general |
National emblem over crossed baton and saber. |
|
Major general |
Five-pointed star over crossed baton and saber. |
|
Brigadier |
National emblem over three five-pointed stars in a triangular formation. |
|
Colonel |
National emblem over two five-pointed stars |
|
Lieutenant Colonel |
National emblem over five-pointed star. |
|
Major |
National emblem. |
|
Captain |
Three five-pointed stars. |
|
Lieutenant |
Two five-pointed stars. |
|
Second lieutenant |
Five-pointed star. |
Junior Commissioned Officers
|
Ranks |
– |
Insignia |
|
Infantry and other arms |
Cavalry and armour |
– |
|
Subedar major |
Risaldar major |
Gold national emblem with stripe |
|
Subedar |
Risaldar |
Two gold stars with stripe |
|
Naib subedar |
Naib risaldar |
One gold star with stripe |
Other Commission Officer
|
Ranks |
– |
Insignia |
|
Infantry and other arms |
Cavalry and armour |
– |
|
Quartermaster havildar |
Quartermaster duffadar |
Gold national emblem with three chevrons |
|
Havildar |
Daffadar |
Three rank chevrons |
|
Naik |
Lance daffadar |
Two rank chevrons |
|
Lance naik |
Acting lance daffadar |
Single rank chevron |
|
Sepoy (Sipahi)/Jawan |
Sowar |
Plain shoulder badge onl |
Defence Rank Structure: Indian Navy Insignia
The insignia of Indian Armed Forces ranks in Indian Navy is as follows:
Indian Armed Forces Ranks: PBOR Insignia
The insignia of Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) in Indian Navy is as follows:
|
Commissioned Officer |
Insignia |
|
Admiral of the Fleet |
Contain one thick and four thin gold braid stripes (loop on the topmost stripe) |
|
Admiral |
Shoulder Board – The rank Insignia of and baton, surmounted by Emblem of Indian. Admiral is Four-star beneath crossed sword and baton, surmounted by Emblem of Indian. |
|
Vice Admiral |
Shoulder Board – The rank Insignia of Rear Admiral is Three-star beneath crossed sword and baton, surmounted by Emblem of Indian. |
|
Rear Admiral |
Shoulder Board – The rank Insignia of Rear Admiral is Two-star beneath crossed sword and baton, surmounted by Emblem of Indian. |
|
Commodore |
A Commodore insignia has one thick gold braid strip with a gold ring above it on a black background. |
|
Captain |
Captain insignia contain four gold braid stripes (loop in the top stripe) on a black background. |
|
Commander |
Commander insignia contains three medium gold braid stripes (loop on the top stripe) |
|
Lieutenant Commander |
Lieutenant Commander insignia consists of two medium gold braid stripes (loop on top stripe) with one thin stripe in between on a black background |
|
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant insignia has two medium gold braids stripes (top stripe with loop) on a black background |
|
Sub Lieutenant |
Sub-lieutenant insignia consists of one medium gold braid stripe with executive curl. |
Defence Rank Structure: Indian Air Force Insignia
The insignia of Commissioned Officers in Indian Air Forceis as follows:
Indian Armed Forces Ranks: PBOR Insignia
The insignia of Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) in Indian Air Force is as follows:
|
General/Flag officers: |
Ranks |
|
Marshal of the Indian Air Force |
The Marshal of Air Force is topmost ranks amongst the Ranks in Indian Air Force with a NATO ranking of OF-10. The Marshal of the Indian Air Force is the five-star rank. |
|
Air Chief Marshal |
four-star rank and has the NATO ranking of OF-9. |
|
Air Marshal |
three-star rank with a NATO ranking of OF-8. |
|
Air Vice Marshal |
two-star officer with a NATO ranking code of OF-7. |
|
Air Commodore |
the most junior-most rank in the Indian Air Force and is one-star officer rank. |
|
Group Captain |
commissioned rank with a NATO ranking code of OF-5. |
|
Wing Commander |
entrusted with the job of commanding a wing of any subdivision. |
|
Squadron Leader |
the most junior of all the officer ranks in the Indian Air Force. |
|
Flight Lieutenant |
the most junior commissioned officer rank with a NATO ranking of OF-2 officer rank with a NATO ranking of OF-2 |
|
Flying Officer |
the personnel is the NATO rank of OF-1. |
Junior Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers
|
1 |
Master Warrant Officer |
|
2 |
Warrant Officer |
|
3 |
Junior Warrant Officer |
|
4 |
Sergeant |
|
5 |
Corporal |
|
6 |
Leading aircraftman |
|
7 |
Air Craftsman |
Special Facts about Indian Armed Forces Ranks
Here are some peculiar details concerning the Army, Navy, and Air Force ranks that any candidate for the Defense should be aware of:
- The rank of Field Marshal is a ceremonial rank and has been conferred only to two officers of the Indian Army – Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw (1973) & Field Marshal K.M Carriappa (1983).
- The rank of Marshal of the Air Force is the ceremonial rank of the Indian Air Force and has been conferred once in 2002 to Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh.
- The highest rank in the Indian Navy – Admiral of the fleet has not yet been conferred yet.
Also, check:
