List of Chief of Army Staff (COAS), India Army Chiefs From 1947-2025
The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) holds the most significant position within the Indian Army, a role formalized by the Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act of 1955. The CoAS is responsible for overseeing the Indian Army, considered the world's largest army, and provides counsel to the Prime Minister, the President, and the Ministry of Defence.
Originally established as the British Indian Army on April 1, 1895, the Indian Army appointed its first Indian chief, Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa, in 1949. Currently, General Upendra Dwivedi serves as the CoAS, having taken office on June 30, 2024.
The CoAS serves a term lasting either three years or until reaching the age of 62, whichever comes first. This position is supported by the Vice Chief of Army Staff, a role presently held by Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh. The Chief of Defence Staff, the highest-ranking officer across all military branches, is currently Lt. General Anil Chauhan.
CoAS Responsibilities and Roles
The Indian Army, recognized as the world's largest fighting force, comprises 1.2 million active and 900,000 reserve personnel. The CoAS leads this formidable army with key responsibilities such as:
- Advising the Prime Minister, President, and the Ministry of Defence.
- Managing ground operations and strategic defense initiatives.
- Ensuring the protection and integrity of national borders.
First Army Chief of India
The Indian Army, established on April 1, 1895, was known as the British Indian Army until January 1949. Its first Commander-in-Chief was General Sir Robert Lockhart. Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa was the first Indian to hold the position of Commander-in-Chief.
Current Chief of Army Staff CoAS
General Upendra Dwivedi, appointed as the 30th Chief of Army Staff of India on June 30, 2024, has a distinguished military career spanning nearly 40 years. Commissioned into the 18 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles in 1984, he has held significant operational and strategic roles in Northern, Eastern, and Western regions, including serving as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command.
Known for forward-thinking leadership, General Dwivedi is a proponent of army modernization with emphasis on technology integration, artificial intelligence, and readiness for fifth-generation warfare. He is a graduate of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy and holds advanced degrees, having trained at premier defense institutions in India and abroad.
He has been recognized with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, blending operational expertise with strategic insight. He promotes innovation, self-reliance, and robust civil-military relationships in national defense.
List of Chief of Army Staff (CoAS)
| List of Indian Army Generals – Indian Army Chiefs | ||||
| S.No. | Name | Rank | Tenure | Unit of Commission |
| 1 | General Sir Robert Lockhart | Commander-in-Chief | 15 Aug 1947 to 31st Dec 1947 | 51 Sikhs Frontier Force |
| 2 | General Francis Robert Roy Bucher | Commander-in-Chief | 21 June 1948 – 15 January 1949 | Scottish Rifles |
| 3 | Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa | Commander-in-Chief | 16 January 1949 – 14 January 1953 | Rajput Rifles |
| 4 | General Maharaj Rajendrasinhji Jadeja | Commander-in-Chief | 15 January 1953 – 1 April 1955 | 2nd Lancers (Gardner’s Horse) |
| 5 | General Maharaj Rajendrasinhji Jadeja | Chief of Army Staff | 1 April 1955 – 14 May 1955 | 2nd Lancers (Gardner’s Horse) |
| 6 | General Satyawant Mallana Sringesh | Chief of Army Staff | 15 May 1955 – 7 May 1957 | 19th Hyderabad Regiment |
| 7 | General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya | Chief of Army Staff | 8 May 1957 – 7 May 1961 | 19th Hyderabad Regiment |
| 8 | General Pran Nath Thapar | Chief of Army Staff | 8 May 1961 – 19 November 1962 | 1st Punjab Regiment |
| 9 | General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri | Chief of Army Staff | 20 November 1962 – 7 June 1966 | 7th Light Cavalry |
| 10 | General Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam | Chief of Army Staff | 8 June 1966 – 7 June 1969 | Regiment of Artillery |
| 11 | Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw | Chief of Army Staff | 8 June 1969 – 15 January 1973 | 12th Frontier Force Regiment |
| 12 | General Gopal Gurunath Bewoor | Chief of Army Staff | 16 January 1973 – 31 May 1975 | Dogra Regiment |
| 13 | General Tapishwar Narain Raina | Chief of Army Staff | 1 June 1975 – 31 May 1978 | Kumaon Regiment |
| 14 | General Om Prakash Malhotra | Chief of Army Staff | 1 June 1978 – 31 May 1981 | Regiment of Artillery |
| 15 | General Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao | Chief of Army Staff | 1 June 1981 – 31 July 1983 | Mahar Regiment |
| 16 | General Arun Kumar Shridhar Vaidya | Chief of Army Staff | 1 August 1983 – 31 January 1986 | 9th Deccan Horse |
| 17 | General Krishnaswamy Sundarji | Chief of Army Staff | 1 February 1986 – 31 May 1988 | Mahar Regiment |
| 18 | General Ashwa Nath Sharma | Chief of Army Staff | 1 June 1988 – 30 June 1990 | 16th Light Cavalry |
| 19 | General Sunith Francis Rodrigues | Chief of Army Staff | 1 July 1990 – 30 June 1993 | Regiment of Artillery |
| 20 | General Bipin Chandra Joshi | Chief of Army Staff | 1 July 1993 – 19 November 1994 | 64th Cavalry |
| 21 | General Shankar Roy Chowdhary | Chief of Army Staff | 20 November 1994 – 30 September 1997 | 20th Lancers |
| 22 | General Ved Prakash Malik | Chief of Army Staff | 1 October 1997 – 30 September 2000 | Sikh Light Infantry |
| 23 | General Sundarajan Padmanabhan | Chief of Army Staff | 1 October 2000 – 31 December 2002 | Regiment of Artillery |
| 24 | General Nirmal Chander Vij | Chief of Army Staff | 1 January 2003 – 31 January 2005 | Dogra Regiment |
| 25 | General Joginder Jaswant Singh | Chief of Army Staff | 1 February 2005 – 30 September 2007 | Maratha Light Infantry |
| 26 | General Deepak Kapoor | Chief of Army Staff | 1 October 2007 – 31 March 2010 | Regiment of Artillery |
| 27 | General Vijay Kumar Singh | Chief of Army Staff | 1 April 2010 – 31 May 2012 | Rajput Regiment |
| 28 | General Bikram Singh | Chief of Army Staff | 1 June 2012 – 31 July 2014 | Sikh Light Infantry |
| 29 | General Dalbir Singh Suhag | Chief of Army Staff | 1 August 2014 – 31 December 2016 | 5 Gorkha Rifles |
| 30 | General Bipin Rawat | Chief of Army Staff | 31 December 2016 – 31 December 2019 | 11 Gorkha Rifles |
| 31 | General Manoj Mukund Naravane | Chief of Army Staff | 31 December 2019 – 30 April 2022 | 7 Sikh Light Infantry |
| 32 | General Manoj Pande | Chief of Army Staff | 30 April 2022 – 30 June 2024 | Corps of Engineers |
| 33 | General Upendra Dwivedi | Chief of Army Staff | 30 June 2024 – Present | Jammu and Kashmir Rifles |
CoAS Tenure and Benefits
The tenure of the Army Chief is determined by either a three-year term or reaching the age of 62, whichever occurs first. They receive a salary of Rs 2,50,000 as per the 7th pay commission, in addition to various benefits.
Vice Chief of Army Staff
Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh was appointed as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff on July 31, 2025.
Chief of Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is the most senior position across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. General Bipin Rawat was the first to hold this office starting on January 1, 2020. Following his tragic death in December 2021, Lt. General Anil Chauhan was appointed as the next CDS in September 2022.
