Officer ranks in Indian Army, Air Force and Navy

 The topmost ranks in the columns are the highest officer ranks and they decrease as they go down the column.

Indian Army	Indian Navy	Indian Air Force
*Field Marshal	*Admiral of the Fleet	*Marshal of the Air Force
General	Admiral	Air Chief Marshal
Lieutenant General	Vice Admiral	Air Marshal
Major General	Rear Admiral	Air Vice Marshal
Brigadier	Commodore	Air Commodore
Colonel	Captain	Group Captain
Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Wing Commander
Major	Lieutenant Commander	Squadron Leader
Captain	Lieutenant	Flight Lieutenant
Lieutenant	Sub-Lieutenant	Flying Officer

Shoulder insignia for Commissioned Officer Ranks in Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. (image source: GoMilitary.in)

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About the significance of 5-star ranks

• The top ranks of the three Indian Defence forces Field Marshal (in Army), Marshal of the Air Force (in Air Force), and Admiral of the Fleet (in Navy) are 5 star ranks. It is considered a huge prestige to receive such a rank
• The Field Marshal rank has been awarded to Kodandera Madappa Cariappa and Sam Manekshaw till date
• Arjan Singh has received the rank of the Marshal of the Indian Air Force and is the only living Indian military officer with a 5 star rank
• The Admiral of the Fleet rank has never been awarded
• Indian military officers who hold a 5 star rank are considered to be serving officers till death and hold their rank for life

Equivalent ranks of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard

The ranks go in increasing order from bottom to top.

Indian Coast Guard Ranks	Navy Ranks
Director General	Vice Admiral (FOC-in-C’s Scale)
Additional Director General	Vice Admiral (HAG scale)
Inspector General	Rear Admiral
Deputy Inspector General (Senior)	Commodore
Deputy Inspector General (Junior)	Captain
Commandant	Captain (with seniority) or Commander
Commandant (Junior Grade)	Commander
Deputy Commandant	Lt. Commander
Assistant Commandant	Lieutenant
Assistant Commandant (Trainee)	Sub Lieutenant

Personnel below officer ranks (PBOR) in Indian Army, Navy and Air Force

Personnel below officer ranks are also promoted to Officer ranks in cases of exceptional service. They are called Honorary ranks.

The ranks go in increasing order from bottom to top.

Indian Army	Indian Navy	Indian Air Force
Subedar Major	Master Chief Petty Officer (First Class)	Master Warrant Officer
Subedar	Master Chief Petty Officer (Second Class)	Warrant Officer
Naib Subedar	Chief Petty Officer	Junior Warrant Officer
Havaldar	Petty Officer	Sergeant
Naik	Able Seaman	Corporal
Lance Naik	Leading Seaman	Leading Aircraftsman
Sepoy	Seaman	Aircraftsman