About Indian Army

The basic responsibility of the Army is to safeguard the territorial integrity of the nation against external aggression. Due to the country’s long borders encompassing different geographical and climatic conditions such as desert terrain on the west, snow-covered mountains in the north and thick rainfed mountainous jungles in the east, the Army has to constantly prepare itself for diverse challenges. In addition, the Army is often required to assist the civil administration during internal security disturbances and in the maintenance of law and order, in organising relief operations during natural calamities like floods, earthquakes and cyclones and in the maintenance of essential services. Demands on the Army have increased manifold due to continuous deployment of its forces in intense counter insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and the North East parts of the country. To achieve these objectives, the Army has to be constantly modernised, suitably structured, equipped and trained.

The Indian Army is organised into five regional commands

HQ Central Command, Lucknow;
HQ Eastern Command, Calcutta;
HQ Northern Command, Udhampur;
HQ Western Command, Chandimandir; and
HQ Southern Command, Pune.
HQ, South Western Command, Jaipur
HQ, Army Training Command, Shimla
The Indian Army is divided into the following two broad categories: Arms and Services.


 
 ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE

The Indian Army is organised completely on a voluntary basis and is enlisted from all races, irrespective of class, caste or creed. It is organised into the following type of forces;

   1. The Regular Army
   2. The Army Reserve
   3. The Territorial Army
   4. The National Cadet Corps

The Indian Army is administratively divided into the following two parts;

A) Army Headquarters

B) Arms & Services 

ARMY SENIOR APPOINTMENTS & OFFICERS LIST

The list of senior officers given below has been compiled from open sources. Bharat Rakshak maintains no claim regarding the accuracy of this document and it is subject to revision from time to time. If you know any information on some of these appointments and which is not classified or restricted information then you are requested to get in touch with us.

	Rank and Appointment	Name	Serial No.	Appt. Date	Comm. Date
	Field Marshal
1	Field Marshal	Sam Manekshaw		01 Jan 1972	Dec 1934
	General
1	Chief of Army Staff	Deepak Kapoor	IC-17622	30 Sept 2007	11 July 1967
	Lieutenant General
1	Vice Chief of Army Staff	Milan Lalitkumar Naidu	IC-19077	03 Oct 2007	1967
2	Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Planning & Systems)	Zameeruddin Shah	IC-19429	01 Oct 2006	09 June 1968
3	Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Information System & Training)	Susheel Gupta		01 May 2006	Dec 1967
4	Adjutant General	Thomas Mathew	IC-19848	01 Sept 2006
5	Military Secretary	Puttammadam Rajah Gangadharan	IC-19873	01 Oct 2006	21 Dec 1968
6	Engineer-in-Chief	Bachittar Singh Dhaliwal	IC-17239	01 May 2006	25 Dec 1966
7	Quarter Master General	Sudhir Sharma	IC-19440	01 May 2006	09 June 1968
8	Master General of the Ordnance	Sarabjit Singh Dhillon	IC-19868	2006	21 Dec 1968
9	GOC-in-C Central Command	Om Prakash Nandrajog	IC-19002	01 Jan 2006	16 Dec 1967
10	GOC-in-C Eastern Command	Kuldip Singh Jamwal	IC-19001	01 Jan 2007	16 Dec 1967
11	GOC-in-C Western Command	Daljeet Singh	IC-17644	01 Oct 2005	June 1967
12	GOC-in-C Northern Command	Harcharanjit Singh Panag	IC-19834	01 Jan 2007
13	GOC-in-C Southern Command	Nobel Thamburaj		01 Oct 2007
14	GOC-in-C South Western Command	Parmendra Kumar Singh		02 Aug 2006	16 Dec 1967
15	GOC-in-C Army Training Command (ARTRAC)
16	Chief of Staff, Central Command	Ashok Vasudeva	IC-17631	20 Jan 2005
17	Chief of Staff, Eastern Command	K S Shiva Kumar		01 July 2006	23 June 1968
18	Chief of Staff, Western Command	Amar Nath Aul	IC-24255	2006
19	Chief of Staff, Northern Command	Rajinder Singh		2006
20	Chief of Staff, Southern Command	Deepak Harishchandra Summanwar	IC-19396	2006	09 June 1968
21	Chief of Staff, South Western Command	Kiron Kishore Kohli	IC-23688	2006
22	Chief of Staff, Army Training Command (ARTRAC)
23	GOC 1 Corps	Prakash Chand Katoch		2006
24	GOC 2 'Kharga' Corps	V K Singh		2006
25	GOC 3 Corps	Manbir Singh Dadwal	IC-24194	2006
26	GOC 4 Corps	R K Chhabra	IC-23814	2006
27	GOC 9 Corps	B S Nagal		2006
28	GOC 10 'Chetak' Corps	Narinder Singh Brar	IC-23689	02 Apr 2006	1969
29	GOC 11 'Vajra' Corps	S S Kumar		29 Sept 2007	13 June 1971
30	GOC 12 Corps	Samer Pal Singh Dhillon	IC-23791
31	GOC 14 Corps	Jayanta Kumar Mohanty	IC-23291	2006	15 June 1969
32	GOC 15 'Chinar' Corps	Amarjeet Singh Sekhon		2006
33	GOC 16 'White Knight' Corps	Tej Kumar Sapru		2006
34	GOC 21 'Sudarshan Chakra' Corps
35	GOC 33 'Trishakti' Corps	C K S Sabu		2006
36	Signal Officer-in-Chief	Sivasankara Pillai Sree Kumar			21 Dec 1968
37	Surveyor General
38	DG-Artillery	Ajit Singh Bajwa	IC-19004	01 July 2006	16 Dec 1967
39	DG-Infantry	B S Jaswal		2007
40	DG-Military Operations	Mohan Pande	IC-19410	01 July 2006	09 June 1968
41	DG-Military Intelligence	Digamber Singh Bartwal		08 Sept 2006
42	DG-Information Systems	Dilip Nemajirao Desai	IC-19845
43	DG-Defence Intelligence Agency	Mandhata Singh	IC-19860	2006	21 Dec 1968
44	DG-Army Air Defence	Kulwant Singh Dogra	IC-28805	01 Jan 2006	12 Jan 1969
45	DG-Ordnance Services	Devinder Dayal Singh Sandhu	IC 17759	01 July 2006	June 1967
46	DG-Mechanised Forces	Daulat Singh Shekhawat	IC 19393	2006	1968
47	DG-Air Defence Artillery
48	DG-Quality Assurance	Madabushi Krishnama Chari	IC-17895	Jan 2002	1967
49	DG-Supply and Transport	Surendra Kumar Sahni	IC-19234	01 Feb 2005
50	DG-Remount Veterinary Services	Narayan Mohanty		30 June 2007	1969
51	DG-Electronics & Mechanical Engineers	Arvind Mahajan	IC 19853	2006
52	DG-Assam Rifles	Paramjit Singh	IC-23039	06 July 2006	Dec 1968
53	DG-Border Roads	Kantamneni Sudhakar Rao	IC 19038	2005	1967
54	DG-Rashtriya Rifles
55	DG-National Cadet Corps	Prakash Singh Choudhary		2006
56	DG-Dental Services	Paramjit Singh	DR-10267	24 Oct 2005
57	DG-Medical Services (Army)	Luxmi Prakash Sadhotra	MR-03158	29 Sept 2005
58	DG-Armed Forces Medical Services
59	DG-Hospital Services (Armed Forces)
60	DG-Operational Logistics	D S Grewal
61	DG-Organisation and Personnel
62	DG-Discipline, Ceremonial & Welfare	Isac John Koshy	IC-23011	2006
63	DG-Manpower Planning & Personnel Services	Utpal Bhattacharya	IC-24528	2006
64	Commandant, Infantry School	Digvijay Pal Singh	IC-17242	2003
65	Commandant, Army War College
66	Commandant, Army Aviation Corps
67	Commandant, Regiment of Artillery	B S Pawar			09 June 1968
68	Commandant, Indian Military Academy	Pitamber Kishore Rampal	IC-19931	2006	Dec 1968
69	Commandant, National Defence College
70	Commandant, Artillery School and Center	Sudesh Kumar Kaushal	IC-15947
71	Commandant, National Defence Academy	Arun Kumar Chopra	IC-17674	Aug 2004
72	Commandant, Armed Forces Medical College	Mudakkanaveetil Prabhakaran Jaiprakash	MR-02250
73	Commandant, College of Military Engineering	R R Goswami		2006	1968
74	Commandant, Defence Services Staff College	B J Gupta		01 May 2006	21 Dec 1969
75	Commandant, College of Materials Management
76	Commandant, Armoured Corps Center and School	Brij Mohan Kapur	IC-14385
77	Commandant, Army Medical Corps Center and School	G S Misra		2006	15 Jan 1970
78	Commandant, Army Service Corps Center and College
79	Commandant, Military College of Telecommunication Engg.
80	Commandant, Military College of Electrical & Mechanical Engg.	K S Venugopal	IC-17280	2004	22 Aug 1971

 

INTEGRATED DEFENCE STAFF

Appointment Rank and Name Serial No. Appt. Date Comm. Date             1 Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) Admiral Sureesh Mehta 00727-A 28 Sept 2007 July 1967 2 Chief of Integrated Service Command (CISC) Lieutenant General Hardev Singh Lidder IC-19009 02 Mar 2006 July 1967 3 C-in-C, Strategic Nuclear Command Vice Admiral Vijay Shankar   03 July 2004 Oct 1966 4 C-in-C, Andaman & Nicobar Command         5 Deputy-CIDS (Medical)         6 Deputy-CIDS (Planning)         7 Deputy-CIDS (Operations)         8 Deputy-CIDS (Intelligence) Lieutenant General Autar Singh IC-16632 17 Feb 2004 1965 9 Deputy-CIDS (Doctrine, Organisation & Training)         10 Assistant-CIDS (Intelligence) Air Vice Marshal S C Malhan       11 Assistant-CIDS (Joint Operations) Air Vice Marshal J S Gujral       12 Assistant-CIDS (Technical Manager, D.P.B.) Air Vice Marshal S L Sud       13 Assistant-CIDS (Perspective Plans & Force Structure) Air Vice Marshal M Dixit

  

ARMY Strength

ORGANIZATION

Personnel

• Army: 980,000 active troops.
• Army Reserves: 300,000 first line troops (within five years of full time service)
  ........................500,000 second line troops (commitment until 50 years of age).
• Territorial Army: 40,000 first line troops (160,000 second line troops).

Command Structure

• Indian Army HQ: New Delhi
• Operational Commands: Northern Command - HQ in Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir.
  ..................................Western Command - HQ in Chandimandir, Chandigarh.
  ..................................South Western Command - HQ in Pathankot, Punjab.
  ..................................Central Command - HQ in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
  ..................................Eastern Command - HQ in Kolkota, West Bengal.
  ..................................Southern Command - HQ in Pune, Maharashtra.
• Functional Commands: Training Command (ARTRAC)

Formations

• Corps: 13 Corps, consisting of 3 'Strike' Corps + 10 'Holding' Corps - including 1 Desert Corps.
• Armour: 3 Armoured Divisions + 8 Independent Armoured Brigades = 63 Armoured Regiments;
  ..............13 T-55 Regiments
  ..............35 T-72M1 Regiments
  ..............14 Vijayanta Regiments
  ..............1 Arjun Mk.1 Regiment (Undergoing Trials)
  *T-90S MBTs are currently being delivered to replace the older tanks.
• Infantry: 4 RAPID, 10 Mountain Divisions, 18 Infantry Divisions + 7 Independent Infantry Brigades.
  *Each RAPID (Reorganised Army Plains Infantry Division) has a Mech. Infantry Brigade.
  *One Infantry Division is earmarked for mountain use - 3rd Division.
• Artillery: Two artillery divisions (30 AD and 41 AD).
  *Each division has at least one artillery brigade.
  *Nearly 200 regiments of field artillery exist.
• Air Defence: 50+ regiments - 35 'Flak' and 15 'Point Defence' regiments.
  ...................SAM: Two SA-6 Groups - 12+ regiments.
  *Each 'Flak' regiment has four battalions - 64 guns.
  *20 additional 'Flak' regiments held in reserve.
  *New AD Groups - one per Strike Corps - being formed: One regiment each of ZRK-SD Kub (SA-6), OSA-AKM (SA-8b), and ZSU-23-4 Shilka or Tunguska-M1. SA-10 batteries are known to be in used in the vicinity of Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Trombay.
• Aviation: 14 Helicopter Units (HAL Chetak and HAL Cheetah) in anti-tank, liaison and observation duties.
• Territorial Army: 25 Infantry Battalions
  .........................29 Departmental Units
  .........................4 Ecological Battalions

EQUIPMENT

ARMOURED VEHICLES

Active Main Battle Tanks - 62 Armoured Regiments

• T-90S: 5 regiments @ 62 tanks each, (310) plus a further 1330 tanks being locally assembled.
  
• T-72M1: 35 regiments @ 55 tanks each, (1950) upgrade program in progress - moving very slowly.
  
• T-55: 10 regiments @ 55 tanks each, (550) with L7/105mm gun + the Vijayanta standard upgrade.
  
• Vijayanta: 11 regiments @ 72 tanks each, (800+) upgraded with FCS and night fighting equipment.
  

Reserve/Store MBTs

• T-55: 200 - To be phased out by 2008
  
• Vijayanta: 1000 - To be phased out by 2008

   

Active Infantry Combat Vehicles

• BMP-1: 700
  
• BMP-2: 900+ (production continues at 100 per year)
  
• OT-62/64: 700+ (second line and mortar carrier duties)

Reserve/Store ICVs

• 500+ (miscellaneous Czechoslovakian & Russian types)

   

Reconnaissance Vehicles

• Ferret: 100 (used for internal security duties)
  
• BRDM-2: 110 (locally fitted with AT-4, AT-5 and Milan ATGW)

ARTILLERY; ~200 REGIMENTS

Active Towed Artillery

• 105mm LFG: 700+ (Being replaced by 130mm M-46 Field Gun)
  
• 105mm IFG Mk.1,2,3: 600+ (Being replaced by 130mm/155mm M-46 Field Gun)
  
• 122mm D-30: 550
  
• 130mm M-46: 750
  
• 155mm M-46: 35 guns upgraded to 155mm calibre, out of a total of 180 guns, as of March 2005.
  
• 155mm Bofors FH-77B: 410 (An estimated 100+ guns are cannibalized and are not operational)

   

Reserve Towed Artillery

• 75mm Mountain Howitzer: 900+
  
• 76mm M-48Mountain Gun: 215
  
• 88mm 25 Pounder: 800 (also used for training)
  
• 100mm M-1944: 350
  
• 180mm S-23: 100

   

Self-Propelled Artillery

• 105mm Abbot: 80
  
• 130mm Catapult M-46: 100+

*Both guns have been phased out from active service due to age/mechanical problems.
*A self-propelled artillery competition is underway in India.

Multiple Rocket Launcher (Artillery)

• 122mm BM-21/LRAR: 150+
  
• 214mm Pinaka: ~30 (one regiment per year)
  
• 300mm Smerch: 62 (deliveries commenced as of 2007 and will be completed by 2010)

   

Mortars

• 81mm Indian E1 + L1A1: 5000+
  
• 120mm AM-50: 1500+ (in service with mtn. artillery. SP versions with some Inf. Bdes.)
  
• 160mm Tampella: 200+ (in store)

   

Anti-Tank Guided Weapons

• Milan 2
  
• AT-3 Sagger (being phased out)
  
• AT-4 Spigot
  
• AT-5 Spandrel
  
• SS-11-B1 (used against bunkers)
  
• Harpon (used against bunkers)

   

Recoilless Weapons

• 57mm M-18: Being replaced by AGS-17 (2 issued per company)
  
• 84mm Carl Gustaf: One per infantry section
  
• 106mm M-40A1: 3000+ (10 per infantry battalion)

   

Air Defence Guns

• 23mm: ZSU-23-2-320 (five regiments)
  ................ZSU-23-4 Shilka SP- 75
  
• 30mm: Tunguska-M1 - 20 (up to 60 more on order)
  
• 40mm: L40/70 - 1920 (30 regiments)
  ............L40/60 - 1280 (20 regiments in reserve with Territorial Army)
  SIPRI {Stockholm International Peace Research Institute} reported that 24 Tunguska M1 systems were ordered in 1996 and all 24 systems were delivered by 1999. They estimate an additional 50 such systems are on order. SA-19 Grisom (9M311-M1) SAMs - which form part of the Tunguska M1's weapon systems - were also ordered in 1996. An order for 384 such missiles were placed and were delivered by 1999.

   

Surface-To-Air Missiles

• SA-6 (launchers): 160 - Two SA-6 Groups - 12 regiments.
  
• SA-7 (launchers): 620 (being phased out).
  
• SA-8b (launchers): 50
  
• SA-10 (launchers): 24 (2-3 regiments being delivered/on order).
  
• SA-13 (launchers): 250+
  
• SA-16 (launchers): 2000+ (to cover 'blind-areas' for CAAD units, as well as being on issue to infantry battalions - six per battalion).
  *Each AD Group - under each Strike Corps - will have one regiment each of ZRK-SD Kub (SA-6), OSA-AKM (SA-8b) and ZSU-23-4 or Tunguska-M1. India's indigenous SAMs - Akash and Trishul - are to be deployed as replacements for the SA-6 and SA-8 respectively and will enter service after successfully completing user trials.

   

Surface-To-Surface Missiles

• SRBM: Prithvi SS-150 - 15 launchers & 75 missiles in 333 Missile Group. More being delivered.

   

Army Aviation

• 14 Helicopter Units (300+ HAL Chetak and HAL Cheetah).
  *Anti-Armour: ex-IAF Chetak.
  *Observation/Liaison: HAL Chetak and HAL Cheetah.

   

Surveillance

• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Searcher, Nishant.
  
• Battlefield Surveillance Radar: BSR Mk.2 (locally built).
  ...........................................ELTA EL/M-2140 BSR*.
  
• Artillery Radar: AN/TPQ-37 Firefinder WLS
  .......................MUFAR - (Multi-Unit Field Artillery Radar; HAL-manufactured artillery radar)
  .......................Rajendra (Primarily air defence, but also ideal for artillery location)
  .......................Green Archer (Mortar location)
  .......................Cymbelline (Mortar location)

*SIPRI {Stockholm International Peace Research Institute} reported that 200 EL/M-2140 radar were ordered in 1999 and 25 were delivered by 2001. SIPRI also reported that 56 ELTA EL/M-2129 artillery radar were ordered in 1999 and five were delivered by 2001. However the EL/M-2129 is actually a Movement Detection & Security Radar (MDSR) and not an artillery radar. Jane's Defence Weekly (JDW) confirms this order and states that the deal included a transfer of technology, for local manufacture by Bharat Electronics Limited. JDW also reported that 1022 man-portable radars and 30 battlefield surveillance radars has been acquired from the Israeli company, El-Op, in a deal signed in August 2002.

SIPRI's database reveals that 32 Searcher UAVs were ordered in 2000 and 16 systems were delivered by 2001. An earlier 1996 order for 12 Searcher UAVs was completed in 1998. SIPRI also reported that 40 Harpy anti-radar UAVs were ordered in 1997 and all 40 were delivered by 1999-2000. SIPRI reported that six Heron-2 UAVs were ordered in 2001.

 

ARMY HEADQUARTERS

Introduction

The Indian Army's HQ is located in New Delhi and functions under the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), currently General Deepak Kapoor, who is responsible for the command, control & administration as a whole. The COAS presides over the Principal Staff Officers Committee, who all have ranks of Lieutenant General, and is comprised ofthefollowing;

• Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS)
  
• Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCOAS - the Army has two)
  
• Adjutant General
  
• Quartermaster General
  
• Master General of Ordnance
  
• Engineer-in-Chief
  
• Military Secretary

General Staff Branch: Nos. 1 through 6 come under the responsibility of the VCOAS and the remainder under the two DCOAS;

1. Directorate of Military Operations --> Military Survey
2. Directorate of Military Intelligence --> Signal Intelligence
3. Directorate of Combat Development
4. Directorate of Military Training
5. Directorate of Engineer Staff
6. Directorate of Operational Logistics
7. Directorate of Artillery
8. Directorate of Infantry
9. Directorate of Army Aviation
10. Directorate of Armoured Corps
11. Directorate of Mechanised Infantry
12. Directorate of Army Air Defence
13. Directorate of Weapons & Equipment
14. Directorate of Staff Duties
15. Directorate of Signals
16. Directorate of Assam Rifles
17. Directorate of Rashtriya Rifles
18. Directorate of Territorial Army
19. Directorate of Army Education
20. Directorate of Financial Planning
21. Directorate of Perspective Planning
22. Directorate of Management Planning
23. Directorate of Defence Security Corps

Adjutant General's Branch: Headed by the Adjutant General and consists of the following appointments;

1. Additional Director General of Organisation
2. Additional Director General of Personnel Services
3. Additional Director General of Medical Services
4. Additional Director General of Recruiting
5. Director General of Discipline & Vigilance and Ceremonials & Welfare
6. Judge Advocate General
7. Statistical Officer
8. Provost Marshal

*The Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO) and the Army Group Insurance Fund (AGIF) also function under the Adjutant General.

Quartermaster General's Branch: Headed by the Quartermaster General and consists of the following appointments;

1. Deputy Quartermaster General
2. Master General of Logistics (Ops & Plans)
3. Additional Director General of Movements
4. Deputy Director General of Quartering
5. Director General of Supply & Transport
6. Additional Director General of Remounts & Veterinary Services
7. Additional Director General of Military Farms
8. Deputy Director General of Army Postal Services
9. Deputy Director General of Pioneers
10. Chief Technical Examiner of Works
11. Chief Canteens Officer

Master General of Ordnance's Branch: Headed by the Master General of Ordnance and consists of the following appointment;

1. Director General of Ordnance Services

Engineer-in-Chief: Headed by the Engineer-in-Chief and consists of the following appointments;

1. Brigadier Engineer Staff
2. Director General of Works
3. Director of Engineer Stores & Plant
4. Procurement & Progressing Organization
5. Chief Inspector of Works
6. Director of Works Study

*The Engineer-in-Chief heads the Corps of Engineers and advises the Chiefs of Staff of the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Director General of Ordnance Factories on all matters concerning works, including their planning and construction.

Military Secretary: The Military Secretary maintains personal records of officers and is responsible for their postings and transfers, promotions and retirement and for the grant of honorary ranks. Appointments to regimental commands and in corps & departments above the rank of Lieutenant Colonels, other than the Medical Corps, are controlled by the Military Secretary.

Defence Planning Staff Directorate

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has a Defence Planning Staff Directorate. It's role role is much akin to to the policy staff attached to the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States. It is in fact the only Directorate where all the three services are represented (apart from the Military Wing of the Cabinet Secretariat). This Directorate is headed by an Officer from one of the three services of the rank of Lieutenant General or equivalent. He has two deputies from the other two services to help him (they have the rank of Major General or equivalent).

Their main role is to provide the Chief's of Staff Committee (COSC) a comprehensive view of the ground situation facing the Armed Forces. They deal with the Financial & Management situation and might also be in charge of Operations & Intelligence. If the DGMO (Directorate of Military Operations) decides to draw up a plan for war, the DGPS (Directorate of Defence Planning Staff) will run an evaluation whether it is viable to do so in terms of equipment/spares needed, finances involved, logistics, etc. Thus they recommend a course of action to the COSC to help them in their decision making. The Financial Planning, Perspective Planning, & Management Planning Directorates all play an active role in this process. The Navy and Air Force also have their respective directorates but may or may not be separate from the DGPS.

The Military Wing of the Cabinet is to liaise with other Government agencies like the Research & Analysis Wing, Intelligence Bureau, Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), etc. It has proportionate representation from the Military Operations and Military Intelligence of the three services. The Military Wing is headed by an Officer from one of the three services with the rank of Major General or equivalent. He is given the status of a Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat. There is also the JCEWS (Joint Committee of Electronic Warfare Staff) committee. It is an inter-service committee and is headed by an Officer with the rank of Lieutenant General or equivalent and deals with Electronic Warfare & Intelligence.