In this article, we have discussed ranks of Indian Armed Forces. These ranks represent the hierarchical structure and organisation of the Indian Army. The rank of Indian armed forces is the most common question asked in the Defence Forces exam and SSB interview. So, Defence aspirants i.e., NDA, CDS, Army TES Entry, AFCAT, etc., must refer to the details discussed below, because it will be very helpful for their exams.
Indian Army
Presently, the Indian Army ranks list is classified into three categories:
- Commissioned Officer (CO)
- Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO)
- Non-commissioned Officer and Soldiers
Commissioned Officers are group ‘A’ service officers in Indian Army. Junior Commissioned Officers are equivalent to Group ‘B’ gazette officers. Non-commissioned Officers are below the commissioned officers and junior commissioned officers.
| Commissioned Officers | Field Marshal |
| General | |
| Lieutenant General | |
| Major General | |
| Brigadier | |
| Colonel | |
| Lieutenant Colonel | |
| Major | |
| Captain | |
| Lieutenant | |
| Junior Commissioned Officers | Subedar Major |
| Subedar | |
| Naib Subedar | |
| Non – Commissioned Officers | Company Quarter Master Havildar (CQMH) |
| Havildar | |
| Naik | |
| Lance Naik | |
| Sepoy |
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Indian Navy
Like the Indian Army, Indian Navy ranks list is also classified into three categories:
- Commissioned Officer (CO)
- Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO)
- Non-commissioned Officer
| Commissioned Officer | Admiral of the fleet |
| Admiral | |
| Vice Admiral | |
| Rear Admiral | |
| Commodore | |
| Captain | |
| Commander | |
| Lieutenant Commander | |
| Lieutenant | |
| Sub Lieutenant | |
| Midshipman | |
| Junior Commissioned Officer | Master Chief Petty Officer – 1st Class |
| Master Chief Petty Officer – 2nd Class | |
| Chief Petty Officer | |
| Non-commissioned Officer | Petty Officer |
| Leading Rate | |
| Seaman First Class | |
| Seaman Second Class |
Indian Air Force
The structure of the Indian Air Force ranks is based on that of the Royal Air force of the United Kingdom. Indian Air Forces are one of the three wings of Indian Defence Forces, besides the Indian Army and Indian Navy. Indian Air Force ranks list is mentioned below:
| General / Flag Officers | Marshal of the Indian Air Force |
| Air Chief Marshal | |
| Air Marshal | |
| Air Vice Marshal | |
| Air Commodore | |
| Group Captain | |
| Wing Commander | |
| Squadron Leader | |
| Flight Lieutenant | |
| Flying Officer | |
| Airmen / JCO / NCO | Master Warrant Officer |
| Warrant Officer | |
| Junior Warrant Officer | |
| Sergeant | |
| Corporal | |
| Leading aircraftman | |
| Air Craftsman |
Hopefully, this article on ranks in the army was informative. It shows a few ranks (representing major groups of ranks) for the various concerned departments. Candidates can check Indian Armed Forces’ respective websites for complete information.
Also Check:
Download Target Defence Academy Mobile App
NDA Previous Year Question Paper PDF (PYQs) Maths & GAT Mock Test for NDA 2026
Links of official websites: Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.