Commands of the Indian Army

1. Central Command | Headquarters: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

 Central Command, or Surya Command, has played a pivotal role in nation-building and
humanitarian assistance. In addition, it has contributed immensely to disaster relief
operations within India and in foreign nations.
 However, no units or Corps of the Central Command are presently functioning. All of it has
been deployed to the South Western Command in the Indian Army.

2. Eastern Command | Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal

 The four Corps under the Eastern Command are as follows:

1) III Corps having headquarters at Dimapur, Nagaland
2) XVII Corps having headquarters at Panagarh, West Bengal
3) IV Corps having headquarters at Tezpur, Assam
4) XXXIII Corps having headquarters at Siliguri, West Bengal
 Furthermore, there are twelve divisions under Eastern Command.

3. Western Command: Headquarters: Chandi Mandir, Haryana

 The subordinate units or Corps functioning under the Western Command of the Indian Army
are as follows:
1) IX Corps has headquarters at Yol, Himachal Pradesh
2) II Corps having headquarters at Ambala, Haryana
3) XI Corps, having headquarters in Jalandhar, Punjab
 About nine divisions function under Western Command.

4. South Western Command | Headquarters: Jaipur, Rajasthan

 Two Corps or subordinate units function under the South Western Command. These are as
follows:
1) 42nd Artillery Division, with headquarters in Jaipur
2) XXI Corps has headquarters at Bhatinda, Punjab
3) I Corps has headquarters at Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
 Furthermore, there are seven divisions under the Indian Army South Western Command.

5. Northern Command | Headquarters: Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir

 It has three subordinate units or Corps, such as:

1) XIV Corps having headquarters at Leh
2) XVI Corps having headquarters at Nagrota
3) XV Corps having headquarters at Srinagar
 Furthermore, seven divisions and one Brigade (10 artillery Brigades) function under the
Northern command.

6. Southern Command | Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra

 The subordinate units or Corps functioning under the Southern Army Command are as follows:
1) XXI Corps has headquarters at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
2) XII Corps having headquarters at Jodhpur, Rajasthan

However, there are six divisions under the Southern Command.

7. Training Command: Headquarters: Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

The Indian Army Training Command, or ATRAC, serves as the nodal agency for all institutional training
in the Indian Army. They perform the following functions:

1) It evolves combined doctrines along with other services

2) This training command helps formulate doctrines of warfare and concepts in the strategic
field, logistics, tactics, and operational art. They also train human resource development so
they can handle real-life combats.
3) It helps to plan, coordinate and implement training policies and conducts training courses at
the Indian Army training establishments.
4) ATRAC continuously interacts with training commands of other services at the conceptual
level.
5) It helps to prepare training manuals, special training reports and directives, and audits training
establishments.
6) ATRAC supervises and monitors training in all other army training institutes and
establishments.
Organizational Structure

The organisational structure of the Indian Army is divided into three groups. Each of these groups
further consists of smaller units, which are as follows:

1. Combat Arms

Combat Arms or Fighting Arms is the name given to a group of troops within the Indian Armed Forces
that operate in direct tactical ground. There are six Corps/Units under Combat Arms. These are as
follows:

1) Infantry: The key role of infantry is to attack and defend during a war. All the other branches
support these troops on foot.
2) Armoured Corp: This unit has the armoured regiments of the Indian Army. It comprises 63
armoured regiments.
3) Regiment of Artillery: Artillery is the second largest unit of the Indian Army. It comprises one-
sixth of the Army's total strength. Artillery consists of aerial vehicles, surveillance systems,
mortars, guns, rocket launchers, missiles, and artillery firepower. It is further subdivided into
Corps of Army Air Defence and Field Artillery.
4) Mechanised Infantry: The Mechanised Infantry Regiment comprises 27 battalions deployed
under various armoured formations throughout India.
5) Army Aviation Corps: The Army Aviation Corps functions during external aggressions and
attacks enemies from the air. Furthermore, it ensures logistical support to the Indian Army in
remote regions.
6) Corps of Army Air Defence: Army Air Defence comprises guns and rockets to handle airborne
enemy attacks.

2. Combat Support Arms

Combat Support Arms is a structure of the Indian Army that supports and assists the combat troops
and soldiers by providing cover fire to the infantry and armoured soldiers. The following are the
divisions/structures under this unit:

1) Army Ordnance Corps: This unit procures clothes for weapons such as tanks, missiles etc.,
except medicines, fuel, and fodder for the Indian Army.
2) Corps of EME: EME Corps handles the development, design, trial, testing, inspection and
fitting of equipment and weapons. Besides, they provide technical advice to troops and
conduct recovery missions in peace and war.
3) Army Supply/Service Corps: These units procure and distribute fresh & dry food items, food
supplies, rations, hygiene chemicals, fuels, oil and lubricants, carriage & distribution of
weapons and ammunition, and hospital comforts items to Army.
4) Corps of Signals: Corps of Signals handles Indian Army’s military communications. This unit
functions closely with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and
develops control and command software.
5) Army Medical Corps: It is a specialist unit/division in the Indian Army which provides medical
services to all army personnel.
6) Corps of Engineers: This unit handles all the technical aspects of missions. This team comprises
- Combat Engineers, Border Roads Organisation, Military Engineering Service, Married
Accommodation Project and Survey of India.
3. Supporting Arms

This unit supports the other two divisions of the Indian Army, especially the Fighting Arms of the Indian
Army. Read all about them in detail below:

1) Intelligence Corps: Military Intelligence Corps handles counter-terrorism in the north and the
northeast areas. Besides, it operates specific intelligence for small-group missions. This team
also handles counterintelligence, which includes identifying and detecting spies in military
areas.
2) Army Dental Corps: Army Dental Corps have officers assisting the troops and soldiers by
educating them about maintaining their oral hygiene and making them aware of dental care.
3) Corps of Military Police: Corps of Military Police receive rigorous training to handle prisoners
of war. This unit also regulates traffic and operates telecommunication equipment.
4) Army Education Corps: This unit educates soldiers and officers of all ranks in several disciplines
about various tactics and strategies to be implemented during warfare. Officials of these
institutes provide education in combat and non-combat missions. Additionally, they provide
education in military academies like NDA, AFA, ACC, IMA, INA, etc. and post-commission
courses.
5) Military Nursing Service: Military Nursing Service is a primary division of the Armed Forces
Medical Services (AFMS). After independence, the authorities of this unit have played a crucial
role in United Nations peacekeeping missions abroad.
6) Military Farms Services: Military Farms were established during the British era to supply the
Indian Army with dairy products. As of August 2017, the Government has ordered the closing
down of all 39 Military Farms as they are not in use currently.
7) Territorial Army: The Territorial Army is an auxiliary military organisation comprising part-time
volunteers. This unit provides support services to the Indian Army and functions for a limited
period while being in civilian service for the rest of the year.
8) Pioneer Corps: These units provide well-trained manpower in places where civilian labour is
unavailable, or employment is not required due to security purposes. Pioneer units are mostly
committed to operational areas.
9) Judge Advocate General’s Department: It is the legal division of the Indian Army. This unit deal
will include all the court marshals. This branch provides legal advice to the soldiers and
practises military law on its personnel.
10) Army Postal Service Corps: This division ensures postal, remittance, savings & insurance
facilities to Army, Indian Navy, Air Force and Paramilitary forces personnel. There are about
500 Field Post Offices established across India. This unit also provides cover to Indian soldiers
deployed with United Nations peacekeeping Forces abroad.
11) Defence Security Corps: The responsibility of this unit is to ensure the security of designated
defence installations and safeguard them from pilferage or sabotage. This department
ensures security at India's nuclear laboratories, Indian Ordnance Factories, and Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) establishments.
12) Remount and Veterinary Corps: Remount and Veterinary Corps breeds, rears and trains all
animals used in the battalion.
Formation of the Army

Below are the basic field formations of the Indian Army:

 Command: Indian Army has six operational commands and one training command. Each one
is headed by a general officer commanding-in-chief (GOC-in-C), known as the army
commander, who is among the senior-most Lieutenant General officers in the army.
 Corps: A command generally consists of two or more corps. Indian Army has 14 Corps each
one commanded by a general officer commanding (GOC), known as the corps commander,
who holds the rank of Lieutenant General. Each corps is composed of three or four divisions.
There are three types of corps in the Indian Army: Strike, Holding and Mixed. The Corps HQ is
the highest field formation in the army.
 Division: Each division is headed by GOC (division commander) in the rank of major general. It
usually consists of three to four Brigades. Currently, the Indian Army has 40 Divisions including
four RAPIDs (Re-organised Army Plains Infantry Division), 18 Infantry Divisions, 12 Mountain
Divisions, three Armoured Divisions and three Artillery Divisions.
 Brigade: A brigade generally consists of around 3,000 combat troops with supporting
elements. An Infantry Brigade usually has three Infantry battalions along with various Support
Elements. It is commanded by a brigade commander who is a Brigadier. In addition to the
Brigades in various Army Divisions, the Indian Army also has five Independent Armoured
Brigades, 15 Independent Artillery Brigades, seven Independent Infantry Brigades, one
Independent Parachute Brigade, three Independent Air Defence Brigades, two Independent
Air Defence Groups and four Independent Engineer Brigades. These Independent Brigades
operate directly under the Corps Commander (GOC Corps).
 Battalion: Composed of four rifle companies. Commanded by a battalion commander who is
a Colonel and is the Infantry's main fighting unit. Every infantry battalion also possesses
one Ghatak Platoon.
 Company: Composed of three platoons. Commanded by a company commander who is
a major or lieutenant-colonel.
 Battery: Comprising either 3 or 4 sections, in artillery and air defence units. Every battery has
two officers, the senior of which is the Battery Commander.
 Platoon: Composed of three sections. Commanded by a platoon commander who is a JCO.
 Section: Smallest military outfit, with a strength of 10 personnel. Commanded by a section
commander of the rank of Havaldar.