Indian Army | |
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Crest of the Indian Army
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Founded | 1 April 1895 |
Country | India |
Type | Army |
Size | 1,200,255 active personnel 990,960 reserve personnel 136 aircraft |
Part of | Indian Armed Forces |
Headquarters | New Delhi |
Motto(s) | "Service Before Self" |
Colors | Gold, red and black |
Anniversaries | 15 January – Army Day |
Website | indianarmy.nic.in |
Commanders | |
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) | General Bipin Rawat |
Vice Chief of the Army Staff(VCOAS) | Lieutenant General Sarath Chand |
Notable commanders |
Field Marshal K M Cariappa Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw |
Insignia | |
Flag | |
Aircraft flown | |
Helicopter | HAL Rudra |
Transport | HAL Dhruv, HAL Chetak, HAL Cheetah and Cheetal |
Equivalent ranks of Indian military
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Indian Navy | Indian Army | Indian Air Force |
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Admiral of the Fleet |
Field Marshal | Marshal of the 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 |
Lt. Commander | Major | Squadron Leader |
Lieutenant | Captain | Flight Lieutenant |
Sub Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Flying Officer |
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Master Chief Petty Officer 1st Class |
Subedar Major | Master warrant officer |
Master Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class |
Subedar | Warrant officer |
Chief Petty Officer |
Naib Subedar | Junior warrant officer |
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Petty Officer | Havildar | Sergeant |
Leading Seaman | Naik | Corporal |
Seaman 1 | Lance Naik | Leading aircraftsman |
Seaman 2 | Sepoy | Aircraftsman |
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The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India serves as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and it is commanded by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four-star general. Two officers have been conferred with the rank of field marshal, a five-star rank, which is a ceremonial position of great honour. The Indian Army originated from the armies of the East India Company, which eventually became the British Indian Army, and the armies of the princely states, which finally became the national army after independence. The units and regiments of the Indian Army have diverse histories and have participated in a number of battles and campaigns across the world, earning a large number of battle and theatre honours before and after Independence.
The primary mission of the Indian Army is to ensure national security and nationhood unity, defending the nation from external aggression and internal threats, and maintaining peace and security within its borders. It conducts humanitarian rescue operations during natural calamities and other disturbances, like Operation Surya Hope, and can also be requisitioned by the government to cope with internal threats. It is a major component of national power alongside the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. The army has been involved in four wars with neighbouring Pakistan and one with China. Other major operations undertaken by the army include Operation Vijay, Operation Meghdoot and Operation Cactus. Apart from conflicts, the army has conducted large peace time exercises like Operation Brasstacks and Exercise Shoorveer, and it has also been an active participant in numerous United Nations peacekeeping missions including the ones in Cyprus, Lebanon, Congo, Angola, Cambodia, Vietnam, Namibia, El Salvador, Liberia, Mozambique and Somalia.