Indian Navy ranks and insignia

Equivalent ranks of Indian military

Indian Navy | Indian Army | Indian Air Force

Commissioned ranks

Admiral of
the fleet | Field marshal | Marshal of
the Indian Air Force
Admiral | General | Air chief marshal
Vice admiral | Lieutenant general | Air marshal
Rear 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

Junior commissioned ranks

Master chief
petty officer
1st class | Subedar major[Alt 1] | Master warrant officer
Master chief
petty officer
2nd class | Subedar[Alt 2] | Warrant officer
Chief
petty officer | Naib subedar[Alt 3] | Junior warrant officer

Non-commissioned ranks

Petty officer | Havildar/Daffadar | Sergeant
Leading seaman | Naik/Lance-Daffadar | Corporal
Seaman 1 | Lance naik/Acting Lance-Daffadar | Leading aircraftsman
Seaman 2 | Sepoy/Sowar | Aircraftsman

Footnotes

1. ^ Risaldar major in cavalry and armoured regiments
2. ^ Risaldar in cavalry and armoured regiments
3. ^ Naib risaldar in cavalry and armoured regiments.
Called jemadar until 1965.

The Indian Navy (IN), the naval component of the Indian Armed Forces follows a certain hierarchy of rank designations and insignia derived from the erstwhile Royal Indian Navy (RIN).[1]

## History

[edit]

The Indian Naval Ensign.

### 1947-2023

[edit]

Upon the establishment of establishment of India's independence in 1947, the country became a dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations; nevertheless, the armed forces, namely, the British Indian Army (BIA), the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) and the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) - under the helm of King George VI as the Commander-in-Chief, retained their respective pre-independence ranks and corresponding insignia.[2]

In May 1949, Lord Mountbatten, the inaugural Governor-General of India and himself a naval officer, dispatched a note to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, titled Names and Insignia of Indian Armed Forces, containing a list of suggestions regarding the nomenclature of the armed forces that were to be enforced upon the dominion's conversion to a republic.[2] In the note, Mountbatten proposed that the future IN should retain its predecessor's nomenclature as much as possible - advocating the retention of the RIN's ranks, insignia and uniforms; the only exemption to these retentions was the force's naval ensign, which was modified to feature the Indian tricolor as a substitute for the Union Jack.[2] In September 1949, Nehru forwarded the proposals to the country's minister of defence, Baldev Singh, recommending Mountbatten's suggestions, which were consequently enforced upon India's emergence as a republic on 26 January 1950.[2]

### 2023 modifications

[edit]

In December 2022, Admiral R. Hari Kumar, the IN's Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), proposed several alterations to the force's rank structure, namely, a proposal to drop the rank of Petty Officer and to integrate IN ranks with that of the IA and the IAF, reasoning the present rank nomenclature reflected of what was termed by several as a colonial mindset.[3]

Following a review of the IN rank structure in October 2023, the IN announced that the rank nomenclature of the Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) cadre would be revised to reflect a gender-neutral perspective.[4] Multiple sources indicated that the seven ranks of the PBOR cadre would be allotted Indian-origin names.[5] In March 2024, R. Hari Kumar suggested that "seaman" be replaced with the gender-neutral "nausainik" (navy soldier).[6]

Consequently, the revision plan was publicized during the IN's 2023 Navy Day celebrations, when prime minister Narendra Modi announced that the rank structure's designations would be retitled with domestic names to reflect Indian-origin traditions, while the shoulder board epaulettes worn by flag officers would be altered to bear the octagonal-shaped naval crest, which had been adopted by the IN the previous year.[5] Accordingly, the alterations to the flag officer insignia were revealed later that month; notably, other observable emendations in the new insignia included the introduction of an Indian sword-cum-telescope design in lieu of the older sword-cum-baton design and a gold button embossed with a clear anchor in lieu of a fouled anchor.[7]

### Structure

[edit]

Presently, the IN's rank hierarchy is divided into three broad categories:

* Commissioned Officers (CO)
* Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO)
* Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO)

## Commissioned officers

[edit]

(Note: Rank insignia to be altered according to IN specifications.)

Rank group  | General/flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

Indian Navy[8]

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Admiral
एडमिरल | Vice admiral
वाइस एडमिरल | Rear admiral
रियर एडमिरल | Commodore
कमोडोर | Captain
कैप्टन | Commander
कमांडर | Lieutenant commander
लेफ़्टिनेंट कमांडर | Lieutenant
लेफ्टिनेंट | Sub-lieutenant
सब लेफ्टिनेंट | Midshipman
मिडशिपमैन
|  |

### Command flags

[edit]

|  |  |

|
|
|

Adm  | VAdm  | RAdm  | Cmde

The highest rank in the IN's CO cadre is Admiral, a four-star rank, which is held exclusively by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS).[9] The rank was first awarded to then-Vice Admiral A. K. Chatterji in March 1968, following his appointment to the post of CNS; prior to him, CNS appointees belonged to the three-star rank of Vice Admiral.[10] However, unlike the IA and the IAF, which both bear the honorary five-star ranks of Field Marshal (FM) and Marshal of the Indian Air Force (MIAF) respectively, the IN does not have a correspondingly recognized equivalent, as no four-star admirals were deemed for promotion to five-star rank.[11]

## Junior commissioned officer and non-commissioned ranks

[edit]

Rank group  | Junior commissioned officers  | Non commissioned officers  | Enlisted

|
|
|

Indian Navy[8][12]

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia

* * *

Master chief petty officer I
मास्टर चीफ पेटी ऑफिसर फर्स्ट क्लास | Master chief petty officer II
मास्टर चीफ पेटी ऑफिसर सेकेंड क्लास | Chief petty officer
चीफ पेटी ऑफिसर | Petty officer
पेटी ऑफिसर | Leading Seaman
लीडिंग सीमैन | Seaman Ist class
सीमैन फर्स्ट क्लास | Seaman IInd class
सीमैन सेकंड क्लास

Since 1950, the designation of Chief Petty Officer was the highest non-commissioned rank in IN's rank hierarchy until December 1968, when the designations of Master Chief Petty Officer I and Master Chief Petty Officer II were introduced.[13]

## See also

[edit]

* Comparative military ranks
* Indian Army ranks and insignia
* Indian Air Force ranks and insignia
* Coast Guard ranks and insignia of India
* Border Roads Organisation ranks and insignia of India
* Paramilitary forces ranks and insignia of India
* Police ranks and insignia of India

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Chhina, Man Aman Singh (16 October 2023). "Military Digest: As Indian Navy looks to introduce new ranks, a look at foreign origins of Naval ranks". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024.
2. ^ a b c d "How India adopted its military flags and badges based on Lord Mountbatten's suggestions". optimizeias.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024.
3. ^ Dongare, Akshay (10 December 2022). "Do away with ranks like petty officer to shed colonial legacies: Navy chief at Agenda Aaj Tak". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024.
4. ^ "Indian Navy To Adopt Gender-Neutral Ranks After Opening Doors To Women". 9 October 2023. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024.
5. ^ a b Bedi, Rahul (5 December 2023). "What Veterans Think About PM Modi Announcing Change of Navy Epaulettes". thewire.in. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024.
6. ^ "Navy submitted proposal to alter rank nomenclature after induction of women sailors: Admiral Hari Kumar". The Economic Times. 5 March 2024.
7. ^ Dutta, Amrita Nayak (31 December 2023). "Navy unveils new epaulettes for Admirals: What are the changes, what do they signify?". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024.
8. ^ a b "Ranks & Insignia". Join Indian Navy. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
9. ^ "Ranks In Indian Navy – Insignia And Hierarchy". alpharegiment.com. 23 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
10. ^ Kesnur, Srikant B. (15 August 2020). "Remembering the Admiral who shed his vice and built the Navy". thedailyguardian.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023.
11. ^ "IA has Field Marshal, IAF has Marshal of Indian Air Force, Indian Navy's glory deserves the honour of 'Admiral of the Fleet' rank". www.indiandefencereview.com. 5 December 2023. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024.
12. ^ "Forwarding Nomenclature of Ranks in Navy" (PDF). 23 August 2011.
13. ^ "New Cadre for Senior Sailors Formed" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 15 December 1968. Retrieved 17 January 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Uniforminsignia.org (Indian Navy)

* v
* t
* e

Military ranks and insignia by country

* List of comparative military ranks

Africa|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* DR Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

States with
limited recognition|

* Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
* Somaliland

Former|

* People's Republic of Angola
* Biafra
* Bophuthatswana
* Ciskei
* Kingdom of Egypt
* Ethiopian Empire
* Katanga
* People's Republic of Mozambique
* Rhodesia
* South West Africa
* Transkei
* Venda
* Zaire

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Apartheid States in Southern Africa

Americas|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Enlisted:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Other:
* Marine Corps
* Space Force
* Warrant officer
* Opposing forces
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Former|

* Canada (pre-Unification)
* Confederate States of America
* Union
* Army
* Navy
* Costa Rica
* Empire of Brazil
* Panama
* Republic of Texas
* Army
* Navy
* United States Army enlisted
* World War I
* World War II

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Asia|

* Afghanistan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* PR of China
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* East Timor
* India
* Army
* Air Force
* Navy
* Coast Guard
* Border Roads Organisation
* Paramilitary forces
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Korea
* North
* South
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Marines
* Civil Armed Forces
* Maritime Security Agency
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Artsakh
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan (Republic of China)

Former|

* China
* Empire
* Republic (1912–1949)
* Dutch East Indies
* East Turkestan (Second Republic)
* People's Republic of Kampuchea
* Imperial Iran
* Imperial Japan
* Army
* Navy
* Korea
* Empire
* Liberation Army
* Kingdom of Laos
* Manchukuo
* Mengjiang
* Mongolian People's Republic
* Vietnam
* State
* South
* South Yemen
* Tibet
* Tuva

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Europe|

* Albania
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Home Guard
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Army
* Navy
* Gendarmerie
* Air and Space Force
* Foresters
* Germany
* Georgia
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Land Forces
* Coast Guard
* Ireland
* Italy
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Carabinieri
* Finance Guard
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* North Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Cossacks
* Between 1994 and 2010
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Army officers
* Army other ranks
* Navy officers
* Navy ratings
* Air Force officers
* Air Force other ranks
* Vatican

States with
limited recognition|

* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* Transnistria

Former|

* Albania
* Kingdom
* People's Socialist Republic
* Austria–Hungary
* Army
* Navy
* Bulgaria
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Independent State of Croatia
* Czechoslovakia
* German Empire
* Weimar Republic
* Nazi Germany
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* East Germany
* Kingdom of Greece
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* France
* Napoleonic Grand Army
* Hungary
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Italy
* Kingdom
* Social Republic
* Ottoman Empire
* Polish People's Republic
* Republika Srpska
* Romania
* Kingdom
* Socialist Republic
* Russian Empire
* White Movement
* Slovakia (First Republic)
* Soviet Union
* 1918–35
* 1935–40
* 1940–43
* 1943–55
* 1955–91
* Spain
* 2nd Republic
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* State
* Yugoslavia
* Kingdom
* Socialist Federal Republic
* Federal Republic

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tonga
* Vanuatu

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Language|

| Anglophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

|

Arabophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Francophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Hispanophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Lusophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Military police
* Officers
* Enlisted

Post-Soviet states|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Commonwealth of Nations|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

European Union|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

NATO|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air Force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Comparative ranks of

* Highest ranks
* Star ranking
* Officers of World War I
* Officers of World War II
* Women's Services in World War II
* Marine forces
* Space forces
* Gendarmeries
* UK and US

* v
* t
* e

Indian Armed Forces

* Indian Army
* Indian Navy
* Indian Air Force

Leadership|

* President
* Prime Minister
* Minister of Defence
* Defence Secretary
* National Security Advisor
* Chief of Defence Staff (Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee)
* Chief of the Army Staff
* Chief of the Naval Staff
* Chief of the Air Staff
* Vice Chief of Defence Staff
* Director General Armed Forces Medical Services
* Serving generals
* Serving admirals
* Serving marshals

Organisation|

| Ministry and
Committees/Councils|

* Ministry of Defence
* Department of Military Affairs
* Department of Defence Research and Development
* Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare
* National Security Council
* Cabinet Committee on Security
* Standing Committee on Defence
* Defence Planning Committee
* Nuclear Command Authority
* Integrated Defence Staff
* Defence Intelligence Agency

|

Commands|

| Joint|

* Integrated Theatre Commands
* Andaman and Nicobar Command
* Commander-in-Chief
* Strategic Forces Command
* Commander-in-Chief
* Northern Theatre Command (India)
* Western Theatre Command (India)
* Maritime Theatre Command
* Defence Cyber Agency
* Defence Space Agency
* Armed Forces Special Operations Division

|

Army|

* Central Command
* Eastern Command
* Northern Command
* Southern Command
* South Western Command
* Western Command
* Army Training Command

Navy|

* Western Naval Command
* Eastern Naval Command
* Southern Naval Command

Air Force|

* Central Air Command
* Eastern Air Command
* Southern Air Command
* South Western Air Command
* Western Air Command
* Training Command
* Maintenance Command

Other components|

* Indian Coast Guard
* National Cadet Corps
* Paramilitary forces
* Special forces
* Territorial Army
* Border Roads Organisation

Personnel|

* Military Academies
* Ranks and insignia
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Border Roads Organisation
* Paramilitary forces
* Awards and Decorations

Operations|

| Wars|

* Indo-Pakistani wars
* 1947–1948
* 1965
* Battle of Asal Uttar
* Battle of Chawinda
* 1971
* Naval War
* Air War
* Battle of Chamb
* Operation Trident
* Operation Cactus-Lilly
* Battle of Longewala
* Kargil War
* Sino-Indian War

|

External
Conflicts|

* Kashmir conflict
* Korean War
* Siachen conflict
* Indo-Pakistani border skirmishes
* Operation Parakram
* 2011
* 2013
* 2014–2015
* 2016–2018
* 2019
* Balakot airstrike
* Congo Crisis
* Sino-Indian border skirmish
* 1987
* Nathu La and Cho La clashes
* Doklam standoff
* 2020
* Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War
* Operation Cactus
* Evacuation of Indian civilians from Kuwait
* Piracy off the coast of Somalia
* Operation Raahat
* Operation Devi Shakti
* Indo-Myanmar border strike

Annexations|

* Operation Polo (Hyderabad)
* Operation Vijay (Portuguese India - Goa, Damaon, Silvassa & Diu)
* Junagadh
* Dadra and Nagar Haveli

Insurgencies|

* Northeast India
* Punjab
* Operation Blue Star
* Operation Woodrose
* Kashmir
* Counter-insurgency operations
* LOC surgical strike

Equipment|

* Defence Research and Development Organisation
* Ordnance Factory Board
* Ballistic missiles
* Weapons of mass destruction

| Army|

* List of equipment of the Indian Army

|

Navy|

* Active Ships
* Historical Ships
* Weapon Systems
* Future

Air Force|

* Active Aircraft
* Historical Aircraft
* Aircraft Squadrons
* Future

Documents|

* Indian Maritime Security Strategy

Other topics|

* President's fleet review
* History
* President's Colour Award
* Women in the Indian Armed Forces
* Armed Forces Flag Day
* Armed Forces Tribunal
* Indian Armed Forces rank flags
* Indian military bands
* National War Memorial
* Amar Jawan Jyoti

* Category
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force

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