Indian Navy Ranks: Ranks and Insignia in Indian Navy
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: October 31st, 2023
The highest rank in the Indian Navy is the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS). The Chief of Naval Staff is a four-star admiral and is the senior-most officer in the Indian Navy. They are responsible for the overall operational and administrative control of the Navy and report directly to the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and the Ministry of Defence. The Chief of Naval Staff plays a crucial role in shaping the strategic direction and policies of the Indian Navy.
Table of content
Defence Rank Structure
According to the Indian Navy, there are soldiers who execute responsibilities assigned to them by the commissioned officers. These Soldiers 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 provide information about Indian Navy ranks. The Army, Navy, and Air Force JCO equivalent ranks are:
| Indian Navy Ranks for JCO |
| Master Chief Petty Officer (First Class) |
| Master Chief Petty Officer (Second Class) |
| Chief Petty Officer |
The equivalent Army, Navy, and Air Force ranks for NCO are as follows:
| Indian Navy Ranks for NCO |
| Petty Officer |
| Leading Seaman |
| Seaman 1st Class |
| Seaman 2nd Class |
Rank Structure of Indian Navy
The below-mentioned table will help you identify the Indian Navy Rank Structure. The entry-level rank offered to an officer through the CDS Exam is Lieutenant & the highest rank is the Admiral of the fleet
| Descending Indian Air Navy Ranks | General/Flag officers |
| 1 | Admiral of the fleet |
| 2 | Admiral |
| 3 | Rear Admiral |
| 4 | Vice admiral |
| 5 | Commodore |
| 6 | Captain |
| 6 | Commander |
| 7 | Lieutenant commander |
| 8 | Lieutenant |
Insignia of Indian Navy
The below table will help you identify the Insignia of the Indian Navy.
| 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. |
