All 7 Commands of the Indian Army and Their Headquarters

The Indian Army is organised into six operational commands and one training command. Each is headed by a Lieutenant General as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C). These commands provide geographic command and control across India’s diverse terrain, borders, and operational requirements. The six operational commands are Northern, Western, Eastern, Southern, South Western, and Central. The seventh is the Army Training Command (ARTRAC). There is also a tri-service Andaman and Nicobar Command, but it is not an exclusive Army command.

1. Northern Command

Headquarters: Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir
Raised: 17 June 1972
Nickname: Dhruva Command
Motto: “Always in Combat”

The Northern Command was raised after the 1971 war to focus on the northern frontiers with Pakistan and China. It is the most operationally active command, responsible for counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir, defence of the Line of Control (LoC), the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, and the Siachen Glacier. Its area of responsibility primarily covers Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with parts of Himachal Pradesh.

Key formations include:

• XIV Corps (Fire and Fury Corps) – Leh
• XV Corps (Chinar Corps) – Srinagar
• XVI Corps (White Knight Corps) – Nagrota

The command faces extreme high-altitude conditions and remains in a high state of readiness year-round.

2. Western Command

Headquarters: Chandimandir Cantonment, Panchkula, Haryana (near Chandigarh)
Raised: 15 September 1947 (initially as Delhi and East Punjab Command; redesignated Western Command in 1948)
Motto: “Ever Westwards”

Western Command guards the western frontiers, primarily against Pakistan, covering Punjab, Haryana, parts of Jammu, Delhi, and adjacent areas. Headquarters was shifted from Shimla to Chandimandir in the mid-1980s. The cantonment is named after the historic Chandi Mandir located within it.

Principal corps under the command include:

• II Corps (Kharga Corps) – Ambala
• IX Corps (Rising Star Corps) – Yol
• XI Corps (Vajra Corps) – Jalandhar

It has played a decisive role in the wars of 1947–48, 1965, and 1971.

3. Eastern Command

Headquarters: Vijay Durg (formerly Fort William), Kolkata, West Bengal
Raised: 1 November 1920

Eastern Command is responsible for the entire north-eastern region and eastern borders. Its area of responsibility includes West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and parts of Jharkhand. It guards borders with China, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The historic Fort William, built in the late 18th century, has long served as the headquarters and was renamed Vijay Durg in late 2024 / early 2025 as part of efforts to remove colonial nomenclature.

Major formations include:

• III Corps (Spear Corps) – Dimapur / Rangapahar
• IV Corps (Gajraj Corps) – Tezpur
• XVII Corps (Brahmastra Corps) – Panagarh
• XXXIII Corps (Trishakti Corps) – Sukna / Siliguri

The command has a distinguished record, including its role in the 1971 war and the Bangladesh Liberation.

4. Southern Command

Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra
Raised: 1 April 1895 (oldest continuously designated command)

Southern Command is the largest in terms of geographic coverage, spanning a substantial portion of peninsular India. Its responsibilities include Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan (adjusted after the raising of South Western Command), and island territories such as Lakshadweep. It focuses on coastal security coordination, internal security support, and strategic reserve roles.

Key formations include:

• XII Corps (Konark Corps) – Jodhpur
• XXI Corps (Sudarshan Chakra Corps) – Bhopal

It also oversees static areas such as Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat Area and Dakshin Bharat Area. The command has participated in operations including the liberation of Goa (1961) and various post-independence contingencies.

5. South Western Command

Headquarters: Jaipur Military Station, Rajasthan
Raised: 15 April 2005 (became fully operational on 15 August 2005)
Nickname: Sapta Shakti Command
Motto: “Sarvada Vijayee Bhava” (Forever Victorious)

This is the newest operational command, carved out of Western Command to provide dedicated oversight of the arid western frontier and Thar Desert sector along the India-Pakistan border. Its primary area of responsibility covers major parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat.

It is structured for mechanised and desert warfare, with formations including X Corps (Chetak Corps) and artillery and armoured assets optimised for the terrain. The command emphasises technology absorption, multi-domain operations, and high operational readiness despite being the youngest.

6. Central Command

Headquarters: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Re-raised: 1 May 1963 (after the 1962 Sino-Indian War; originally raised briefly in 1942 and disbanded in 1946)

Central Command functions largely as a strategic reserve and hinterland security command while also covering the central sector of the LAC with China and the Indo-Nepal border. Its area of responsibility spans Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh (parts), Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha. It hosts a large number of regimental centres, training establishments, and logistic units.

It maintains static formations such as Uttar Bharat Area and Madhya Bharat Area. The command supports other operational commands during contingencies and plays a significant role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

7. Army Training Command (ARTRAC)

Headquarters: Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
Raised: 1 October 1991 (initially at Mhow; shifted to Shimla on 31 March 1993)

ARTRAC is the sole training command. It is the nodal agency for institutional training across the Indian Army, formulation of concepts and doctrines of warfare, integration of technology and simulation into training, and development of joint doctrines with the other Services. It oversees more than 30 Category ‘A’ training establishments nationwide and focuses on preparing a future-ready force through professional military education, red-teaming, and niche technology absorption.

Unlike the operational commands, ARTRAC does not have a geographic combat area of responsibility. Shimla has historical significance as a former headquarters location for Western Command and earlier Army functions.

Summary Table

These seven commands form the backbone of the Indian Army’s operational and training architecture. Each is tailored to its unique terrain, threat environment, and strategic requirements, ensuring comprehensive national defence under the overall direction of Army Headquarters in New Delhi.