Air Force ranks and insignia of India

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Indian Armed Forces
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Military Manpower
Active troops
1,440,000 (2nd)
Reserve forces
2,096,000 (5th)
Paramilitary forces and CAPF
1,585,950 (6th)
Components
 Indian Army
 Indian Navy
 Indian Air Force
 Indian Coast Guard
Border Roads Organisation
Paramilitary forces of India
Central Armed Police Forces
Strategic Nuclear Command
History
Military history of India
Ranks and insignia
Army • Navy • Air Force • Coast Guard • BRO • Paramilitary forces and CAPF

The Indian Air Force's rank structure is based on that of the Royal Air Force. The highest rank attainable in the Indian Air Force is Marshal of the Indian Air Force, conferred by the President of India after exceptional service during wartime. MIAF Arjan Singh was the only officer to have achieved this rank. The head of the Indian Air Force is the Chief of the Air Staff, who holds the rank of Air Chief Marshal. The current Chief of the Air Staff is Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, took office on 30 September 2021.

Officer ranks[edit]

The following table shows the officer rank insignia for the Indian Air Force.

Rank group General/flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
Service uniform India-AirForce-OF-10-collected.svg India-AirForce-OF-9-collected.svg India-AirForce-OF-8-collected.svg India-AirForce-OF-7-collected.svg India-AirForce-OF-6-collected.svg British RAF OF-5.svg British RAF OF-4.svg British RAF OF-3.svg British RAF OF-2.svg British RAF OF-1b.svg
 Indian Air Force[1]
 Indian IAF OF-10.svg Indian IAF OF-9.svg Indian IAF OF-8.svg Indian IAF OF-7.svg Indian IAF OF-6.svg Indian IAF OF-5.svg Indian IAF OF-4.svg Indian IAF OF-3.svg Indian IAF OF-2.svg Indian IAF OF-1b.svg Indian IAF OF-0.svg
Marshal of the Indian Air Force Air chief marshal Air marshal Air vice marshal Air commodore Group captain Wing commander Squadron leader Flight lieutenant Flying officer Flight cadet
Ceremonial/
War time rank 		Held by the
Chief of Defence Staff
and/or the
Chief of the Air Staff

The IAF rank of pilot officer is a rank in abeyance in the Air Force and is no longer in force, all officers begin as flying officers upon commissioning.

Junior commissioned officer and non-commissioned ranks[edit]

Rank group Junior commissioned officers Non commissioned officer Enlisted
 Indian Air Force[2]
 Indian IAF OR-9.svg Indian IAF OR-8.svg Indian IAF OR-7.svg India-AirForce-OR-6.svg
 India-AirForce-OR-4.svg India-AirForce-OR-2.svg No insignia
Master warrant officer Warrant officer Junior warrant officer Sergeant Corporal Leading aircraftsman Aircraftsman

Former ranks and rank insignia[edit]

The rank of Pilot Officer is no longer in use; all new officers are commissioned as Flying Officers. The old warrant officer ranks and the rank of flight sergeant were replaced in 1977 by the new warrant officer ranks.[3]

Ranks of the Indian Air Force no longer in use
Officers Non-commissioned officers
Shoulder
Insignia 		Indian IAF OF-1a.svg Arm India-Air-OR-9 old.svg India-Air-OR-8 old.svg India-Air-OR-7 old.svg
Rank Pilot
officer 		Warrant officer Junior
warrant officer 		Flight
sergeant

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "For Officers". careerairforce.nic.in. Indian Air Force. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  2. ^ "For Airmen". careerairforce.nic.in. Indian Air Force. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  3. ^ "IAF officers badges". 15 May 1977. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
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