India's three services are led by the Chiefs of the Army, Naval and Air Staff, all four-star officers, with a Chief of Defence Staff (post created in 2019) above them. The top rungs line up across services: General = Admiral = Air Chief Marshal; Lieutenant General = Vice Admiral = Air Marshal; the ranks below pair off the same way. Field Marshal and its Navy and Air Force equivalents are honorary five-star ranks.
Key facts
- The top rungs line up across services: General = Admiral = Air Chief Marshal; Lieutenant General = Vice Admiral = Air Marshal; the ranks below pair off the same way.
- Field Marshal is a ceremonial five-star rank: Sam Manekshaw (1973) and K. M. Cariappa (1986).
- The Chief of Defence Staff post, approved by the Cabinet in late 2019, is held by a four-star officer from any service.
- Army Day (15 January), Navy Day (4 December) and Air Force Day each mark a milestone in that service's history.
Latest
General Dhiraj Seth took over as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff on 30 June 2026, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi; in September 2026 Shakti Sharma became the first non-medical woman officer to reach Air Vice Marshal.
Why exams ask about it
Setters ask the rank equivalent across services, the first Indian commander, the dates of service days and the newest chief.