How many commands are there in the Indian Army and their headquarters?

The Indian Army was established on 1 April 1895. But the present-day Indian Army has evolved from the military forces created by the British, first under the East India Company and later under the British Crown. The Indian Presidency Armies of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay were originally under the East India Company.

The first reorganisation of the armies of the East Indian Company took place in 1796. Did you know at this time, there were only 13,000 European and 57,000 Indian troops? The Madras and Bengal armies had 24,000 each, and the Bombay army had 9,000 Indian troops. Going forward, after the Indian Rebellion of 1857, all the troops were transferred to the British Crown, which was also referred to as the British Indian Army, or Imperial Indian Army.

But on the recommendation of the Army Organisation Commission of 1879, the Presidency Armies were abolished with effect from 1 April 1895. The Army was divided into four territorial Army Commands as: Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western. Post-independence in 1947 and with the partition of India and Pakistan into two new dominions, the amy was reconstituted and divided between the newly independent countries. Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949.

In 2026, the Indian Army is the second-largest military force in the world, with roughly 1.4 million active-duty personnel. As per the 2026 Global Firepower Index ranking, India ranks fourth in military power, trailing China (3rd), Russia (2nd), and the United States (1st). Major operations undertaken by the Indian Army include Operation Vijay, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Rakshak, Operation Sindoor, Operation Black Thunder, among others. The Indian Army was a vital force in the First and Second World Wars as well.

How many commands are there in the Indian Army and their headquarters?

The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The executive control is exercised through the Union Cabinet, the Defence Minister, the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and the Chiefs of Army, Navy, and Air Staff of their respective services. All matters related to personnel, resources, and finance are handled by the Ministry of Defence.

Today, the Indian Army is divided into seven commands, with six operational commands and one training command. Each Command is headed by a General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C), holding the rank of Lieutenant General. These commands directly report to Army HQ in New Delhi.

1. Western Command - Headquarters: Chandimandir, Haryana

2. Eastern Command - Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal

3. Northern Command - Headquarters: Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir

4. Southern Command - Headquarters - Pune, Maharashtra

5. South-Western Command - Headquarters - Jaipur, Rajasthan

6. Central Command - Headquarters - Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

7. Training Command - Headquarters - Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Sub-Divisions of the Indian Army

The Army further comprises sub-divisions where the soldiers are grouped into a fighting force. Below are the basic field formations of the Indian Army (in descending order):

Command: Indian Army has six operational commands and one training command. Each command is headed by a General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), holding the rank of Lieutenant General. 

Corps: Each corps is composed of three or four divisions. Each corps is headed by a General Officer Commanding (GOC), who holds the rank of Lieutenant General. 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. The Indian Army has 14 corps.

Division:  Each division comprises three to four Brigades. Each division is headed by a Major General. Currently, the Indian Army has Infantry Divisions, Armoured Divisons, Mountain Divisions, and Artillery Divisions.

Brigade: Three to four battalions make up a brigade. Each brigade, consisting of around 3,000 troops with supporting elements, is commanded by a Brigadier. Types of Brigades include Independent Armoured Brigades, Independent Infantry Brigades, Independent Artillery Brigades, Independent Parachute Brigade, Engineer Brigade. These Independent Brigades report directly to GOC Corps.

Battalion: Four rifle companies compose a battalion commanded by a battalion commander who is in the rank of a Colonel. It is the Infantry's main fighting unit. Every infantry battalion has one Ghatak Platoon.

Company: A Company is formed by three Platoons. A Company is headed by a Company Commander who is a Major or Lt. Colonel.

Platoon: Three sections make a Platoon which is headed by a JCO (Junior Commissioned Officer).

Section: Ten soldiers make a Section. It is the smallest military formation. It is commanded by a section commander of the rank of Havaldar.