List of Indian Chief of Army Staff CoAS (1947-2025)

The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) is the paramount position in the Indian Army, established through the Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act of 1955. The CoAS oversees the world’s largest army, advising the Prime Minister, President, and the Ministry of Defence.

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The Indian Army, initially the British Indian Army, was founded on 1st April 1895. Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa became the first Indian Army Chief in 1949. Currently, the position is held by General Upendra Dwivedi, who assumed office on 30 June 2024.

The CoAS’s tenure is either three years or until the age of 62, whichever is earlier. The role is supported by the Vice Chief of Army Staff, presently Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh. The highest rank across all defense branches is the Chief of Defence Staff, with Lt. General Anil Chauhan currently holding the post.

CoAS Responsibilities and Roles

Indian Army, the world’s largest army, boasts of 12 lakh active and 9 lakh reserve troops. The Chief of Army Staff presides over this massive force and has pivotal responsibilities, including:

Serving as the chief advisor to the Prime Minister, President, and the Ministry of Defence.
Overseeing ground operations and defense strategies.
Ensuring the security and safety of the nation’s borders.

First Army Chief of India

The Indian Army was established on 1st April 1895. Formerly termed as the British Indian Army until January 1949, its legacy is rich and significant. The pioneering Commander-in-Chief was General Sir Robert Lockhart, while Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa had the honor of being the first Indian Commander-in-Chief.

Current Chief of Army Staff CoAS

General Upendra Dwivedi, the 30th Chief of Army Staff of India, assumed office on 30 June 2024 after an illustrious military career spanning nearly four decades. Commissioned into the 18 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles in 1984, he has held key operational and strategic appointments across Northern, Eastern, and Western theatres, including as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command.

Known for his forward-looking vision, he champions modernisation of the Indian Army with a focus on technology integration, artificial intelligence, and preparedness for fifth-generation warfare. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, he holds multiple advanced degrees and has trained at premier defence institutions in India and abroad.

Decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, General Dwivedi blends operational acumen with strategic foresight, emphasising innovation, self-reliance, and strong civil-military coordination in safeguarding national security.

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

An Army Chief’s tenure lasts either for three years or until the age of 62, depending on which milestone is reached first. They’re rewarded with a handsome salary (set by the 7th pay commission) of Rs 2,50,000 alongside various other perks.

Vice Chief of Army Staff

Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh assumed the appointment of the Vice Chief of the Army Staff on 31 July 2025.

Chief of Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force

The highest position across all defense forces – Army, Navy, and Air Force – is the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). The inaugural CDS was General Bipin Rawat, who assumed office on 1st January 2020. Following his unfortunate demise in December 2021, Lt. General Anil Chauhan was appointed the next CDS in September 2022.