List of Indian Chief of Army Staff [2025]

The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) is the most senior position within the Indian Army. Established by the Indian Parliament through the Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act of 1955, the role is exclusive to the Indian Army, overseeing its numerous ground operations.

The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) stands as the apex position in the Indian Army, held by its top-ranking general. This role, sanctioned by the Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act of 1955 passed by the Indian Parliament, is dedicated to supervising the myriad of ground operations within the Indian Army.

Holding the title of Army Chief of India comes with immense responsibility. The Indian Army, the largest of its kind globally, comprises 12 lakh active soldiers and an additional 9 lakh in reserve. Tasked with safeguarding the nation’s borders, its leadership falls under the purview of the Chief of Army Staff. Beyond leading this vast force, the CoAS also provides strategic counsel to the Prime Minister, President, and the Ministry of Defence, guiding them in various defence strategies and operations. As of 30 June 2024, the role is held by COAS General Upendra Dwivedi.

Army Chief of India

Founded on 1st April 1895, the Indian Army was initially known as the British Indian Army until January 1949. The esteemed office of the Army Chief of India traces its lineage back to 1947. The inaugural Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army was General Sir Robert Lockhart, with Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa later becoming the first Indian to hold this esteemed position.

In 1955, the title of the General of the Indian Army was established. However, the journey to this designation was evolutionary. From 1947 to 1948, the title was Commander-in-Chief. Subsequently, from 1948 to 1955, the position was termed Chief of the Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. It was only after the passage of a parliamentary act in 1955 that the title of Army Chief of India was officially adopted. A critical strategic role, this position is invariably held by a four-star general, signifying a remarkable track record of achievement in the army. Since the foundation of the army, India has been served by 4 Commanders-in-Chief and 28 Chiefs of Army Staff. The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) office is situated in the South Block of the Central Secretariat on Raisina Hill in New Delhi.

Current Army Chief of India

General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, takes over as the 30^th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) from General Manoj Pande, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, who superannuated after more than four decades of service to the nation on 30 Jun 2024.

General Upendra Dwivedi is an accomplished military leader, with 40 years of service in the Armed Forces. An alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa (MP), he was commissioned into Regiment of Jammu & Kashmir Rifles in 1984. The General officer has a unique distinction of balanced command as well as staff exposure across Northern, Eastern and Western theatres, in varied operational environment.

ALSO READ: Ranks And Insignia Of Indian Army, Navy & Air Force [Updated]

The list of the Chief of Army Staff in India is given in the table below:

S.No	Name	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Unit of Commission
1	General Sir Robert Mcgregor Macdonald Lockhart, KCB, CIE, MC	15-Aug-47	31-Dec-47	108 days	51st Sikhs
2	General Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher, KBE, CB, MC	1-Jan-48	15-Jan-49	208 days	4th Cameronians
3	General Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, OBE	15-Jan-49	14-Jan-53	3 years, 365 days	Rajput Regiment
4	General Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja, DSO	14-Jan-53	1-Apr-55	2 years, 77 days	2nd Lancers (Gardner’s Horse)
5	General Satyawant Mallana Srinagesh	15-May-55	7-May-57	1 year, 357 days	19th Hyderabad Regiment
6	General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya, DSO	8-May-57	7-May-61	4 years, 0 days	19th Hyderabad Regiment
7	General Pran Nath Thapar	8-May-61	19-Nov-62	1 year, 195 days	1st Punjab Regiment
8	General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri, OBE	20-Nov-62	7-Jun-66	3 years, 199 days	16th Light Cavalry
9	General Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam, DSO, MBE	8-Jun-66	7-Jun-69	2 years, 364 days	Regiment of Artillery
10	Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, MC	8-Jun-69	15-Jan-73	3 years, 221 days	12th Frontier Force Regiment
11	General Gopal Gurunath Bewoor, PVSM	16-Jan-73	31-May-75	2 years, 135 days	Dogra Regiment
12	General Tapishwar Narain Raina, MVC	1-Jun-75	31-May-78	2 years, 364 days	Kumaon Regiment
13	General Om Prakash Malhotra, PVSM	1-Jun-78	31-May-81	2 years, 364 days	Regiment of Artillery
14	General Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao, PVSM	1-Jun-81	31-Jul-83	1 year, 364 days	Mahar Regiment
15	General Arunkumar Shridhar Vaidya, PVSM, MVC, AVSM	1-Aug-83	31-Jan-86	2 years, 244 days	9th Deccan Horse
16	General Krishnaswamy Sundarji, PVSM	1-Feb-86	31-May-88	2 years, 120 days	Mahar Regiment
17	General Vishwa Nath Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, ADC	1-Jun-88	30-Jun-90	2 years, 29 days	16th Light Cavalry
18	General Sunith Francis Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM	1-Jul-90	30-Jun-93	2 years, 364 days	Regiment of Artillery
19	General Bipin Chandra Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, ADC	1-Jul-93	19-Nov-94	1 year, 141 days	64th Cavalry
20	General Shankar Roy Chowdhary, PVSM, ADC	20-Nov-94	30-Sep-97	2 years, 314 days	20th Lancers
21	General Ved Prakash Malik, PVSM, AVSM	1-Oct-97	30-Sep-00	2 years, 365 days	Sikh Light Infantry
22	General Sundararajan Padmanabhan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM	1-Oct-00	31-Dec-02	2 years, 91 days	Regiment of Artillery
23	General Nirmal Chander Vij PVSM, UYSM, AVSM	1-Jan-03	31-Jan-05	2 years, 30 days	Dogra Regiment
24	General Joginder Jaswant Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC	1-Feb-05	30-Sep-07	2 years, 241 days	Maratha Light Infantry
25	General Deepak Kapoor, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC	1-Oct-07	31-Mar-10	2 years, 181 days	Regiment of Artillery
26	General Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC	1-Apr-10	31-May-12	2 years, 60 days	Rajput Regiment
27	General Bikram Singh PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC	1-Jun-12	31-Jul-14	2 years, 60 days	Sikh Light Infantry
28	General Dalbir Singh Suhag, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC	1-Aug-14	31-Dec-16	2 years, 152 days	5 Gorkha Rifles
29	General Bipin Rawat, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, ADC	31-Dec-16	31-Dec-19	3 years, 0 days	11 Gorkha Rifles
30	General Manoj Mukund Naravane, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC	31-Dec-19	30 April 2022	1 year, 61 days	Sikh Light Infantry
31	General Manoj Pande, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC (born 1962)	30 April 2022	30 June 2024	2 years, 61 days	Bombay Sappers
32	General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM (born 1964)	30 June 2024	Incumbent	204 days	Jammu and Kashmir Rifles

First Army Chief of India

Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa made history as India’s inaugural Army Chief, succeeding General Francis Robert Roy Bucher on 16 January 1949 and serving until 14 January 1953. Here are some intriguing details about this pioneering figure:

• Born on January 28, 1899, in Karnataka’s Coorg district, he later passed away on May 15, 1993, in Bangalore.
• His military training commenced during World War I. Remarkably, in 1919, he was part of the first cohort of Indian cadets sent to Indore for training in the British Indian Army.
• Charting a stellar trajectory of promotions, he advanced from lieutenant in 1923, to captain in 1927. By 1938, he had achieved the rank of Major, and by 1942, he was a Lieutenant Colonel. His rise continued, culminating in a promotion to Brigadier in 1946, paving the way for his historic role as the first Army Chief of India.

Indian Army Chief Tenure

The Chief of Army Staff’s tenure is either 3 years or up to the age of 62, whichever comes first. There’s no set minimum age to take on this role. However, to be considered for the position, one must hold the rank of a full General with four stars.

Salary of the Army Chief of India

The Indian Army Chief’s compensation is the highest in the army, determined by the guidelines of the 7th pay commission. Positioned at Level 18 of the pay matrix, the Chief of Army Staff draws a fixed salary of Rs 2,50,000, in line with government regulations. Additionally, the Chief is provided with government benefits, including housing, transportation, and more.

Retirement Age of the Army Chief of India

The Army Chief’s retirement age is set at 62. Even though there’s no age restriction for this role, the Chief’s service is capped at 3 years. Retirement occurs either upon reaching the age of 62 or upon completing the 3-year term, depending on which happens first.