Air Force ranks and insignia of India

Equivalent ranks of Indian military
Indian Navy	Indian Army	Indian Air Force
Commissioned ranks
Admiral of the fleet	Field marshal	Marshal of the Indian Air Force
Admiral	General	Air chief marshal
Vice admiral	Lieutenant general	Air marshal
Rear admiral	Major general	Air vice marshal
Commodore	Brigadier	Air commodore
Captain	Colonel	Group captain
Commander	Lieutenant colonel	Wing commander
Lieutenant commander	Major	Squadron leader
Lieutenant	Captain	Flight lieutenant
Sub lieutenant	Lieutenant	Flying officer
Junior commissioned ranks
Master chief petty officer 1st class	Subedar major	Master warrant officer
Master chief petty officer 2nd class	Subedar	Warrant officer
Chief petty officer	Naib subedar	Junior warrant officer
Non-commissioned ranks
Petty officer	Havildar	Sergeant
Leading seaman	Naik	Corporal
Seaman 1	Lance naik	Leading aircraftsman
Seaman 2	Sepoy	Aircraftsman
Footnotes

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

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

Rank group	General/flag officers										Field/senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Service uniform
Indian Air Force
	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The IAF rank of pilot officer is a rank in abeyance in the Air Force and is no longer in force, all officers begin as flying officers upon commissioning.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

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers										Non commissioned officer												Enlisted
Indian Air Force																																			No insignia
	Master warrant officer						Warrant officer		Junior warrant officer		Sergeant												Corporal						Leading aircraftsman						Aircraftsman

Former ranks and rank insignia

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.

Ranks of the Indian Air Force no longer in use

	Officers		Non-commissioned officers
Shoulder Insignia		Arm
Rank	Pilot officer		Warrant officer	Junior warrant officer	Flight sergeant

Rank flags

Rank group	General/flag officers										Field/senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Indian Air Force rank flags (1950–1980)
Indian Air Force rank flags (1980–Currently)
Indian Air Force ranks	Marshal of the Indian Air Force		Air chief marshal		Air marshal		Air vice marshal		Air commodore		Group Captain		Wing Commander		Squadron Leader

See also

• Comparative military ranks
• Army ranks and insignia of India
• Naval ranks and insignia of India
• Coast Guard ranks and insignia of India
• Border Roads Organisation ranks and insignia of India
• Paramilitary forces ranks and insignia of India
• Police ranks and insignia of India