Indian Defence — Armed Forces, Ranks, Missiles, Exercises, Nuclear Doctrine

Indian defence is a frequently tested topic in Kerala PSC general knowledge. This covers the structure, commands, missiles, exercises, and nuclear policy.

Supreme Command

Position	Role
President of India	Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
Defence Minister	Political head; oversees Ministry of Defence
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)	Heads Department of Military Affairs; permanent chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee
First CDS	General Bipin Rawat (appointed 1 January 2020; died December 2021)

Indian Army

Aspect	Details
Founded	1 April 1895 (as British Indian Army); 15 January — Army Day
HQ	New Delhi
Head	Chief of Army Staff (COAS)
Motto	”Service Before Self”
Strength	Over 12 lakh active personnel (one of the largest armies in the world)

Army Commands

Command	HQ
Northern	Udhampur
Western	Chandimandir (Chandigarh)
Eastern	Kolkata
Southern	Pune
Central	Lucknow
South Western	Jaipur
Army Training Command (ARTRAC)	Shimla

Army Ranks (Descending Order)

Rank	Stars/Insignia
Field Marshal	Five-star (honorary; only 2 awarded: Sam Manekshaw and K.M. Cariappa)
General	Four-star
Lieutenant General	Three-star
Major General	Two-star
Brigadier	One-star
Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Major
Captain
Lieutenant

Indian Navy

Aspect	Details
Founded	26 January 1950 (Royal Indian Navy renamed)
Navy Day	4 December (commemorates 1971 attack on Karachi)
HQ	New Delhi
Head	Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)
Motto	”Sham No Varunah” (May the Lord of Water be auspicious unto us — from Rigveda)

Naval Commands

Command	HQ
Western Naval Command	Mumbai
Eastern Naval Command	Visakhapatnam
Southern Naval Command	Kochi (only training command)

Key Naval Assets

Asset	Details
INS Vikrant	India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier; commissioned 2 September 2022
INS Vikramaditya	Modified Kiev-class carrier acquired from Russia (2013)
INS Arihant	India’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN); indigenous
INS Chakra	Nuclear attack submarine leased from Russia

Indian Air Force (IAF)

Aspect	Details
Founded	8 October 1932
Air Force Day	8 October
HQ	New Delhi
Head	Chief of Air Staff (CAS)
Motto	”Nabha Sparsham Deeptam” (Touch the sky with glory — from Bhagavad Gita)

Air Force Commands

Command	HQ
Western Air Command	New Delhi
Eastern Air Command	Shillong
Central Air Command	Prayagraj (Allahabad)
Southern Air Command	Thiruvananthapuram
South Western Air Command	Gandhinagar
Training Command	Bengaluru
Maintenance Command	Nagpur

Key Aircraft

Aircraft	Type	Origin
Rafale	Multirole fighter	France (36 acquired)
Sukhoi Su-30MKI	Air superiority fighter	Russia (licence-built in India)
Tejas (LCA)	Light combat aircraft	Indigenous (HAL)
C-17 Globemaster	Strategic transport	USA
Chinook CH-47	Heavy-lift helicopter	USA
Apache AH-64E	Attack helicopter	USA

Indian Missiles

Missile	Type	Range	Details
Agni-V	ICBM (surface-to-surface)	5,000+ km	Nuclear capable; can reach China
Agni-P	Medium range ballistic	1,000–2,000 km	New generation, canisterised
Prithvi	Short range ballistic	150–350 km	First indigenous ballistic missile
BrahMos	Cruise missile	290–500 km	India-Russia joint venture; supersonic (Mach 2.8); world’s fastest cruise missile
Nirbhay	Subsonic cruise	1,000+ km	Indigenous long-range cruise missile
Akash	Surface-to-air	25–80 km	Indigenous air defence
Nag	Anti-tank	4–7 km	Fire-and-forget; “Helina” is helicopter-launched version
Astra	Air-to-air	110+ km	Indigenous beyond-visual-range
K-4/K-15	Submarine-launched	K-15: 750 km; K-4: 3,500 km	Launched from Arihant-class submarines
Shaurya	Surface-to-surface	700–1,900 km	Canisterised; hypersonic

DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation):

• HQ: New Delhi
• Founded: 1958
• Develops indigenous defence technologies
• Head: Chairman DRDO (also Secretary, Department of Defence R and D)

Major Joint Military Exercises

Exercise	Countries	Service
Malabar	India, USA, Japan, Australia (Quad nations)	Navy
Yudh Abhyas	India, USA	Army
Cope India	India, USA	Air Force
Garuda Shakti	India, Indonesia	Army
JIMEX	India, Japan	Navy
Varuna	India, France	Navy
Indra	India, Russia	Tri-service
Surya Kiran	India, Nepal	Army
SIMBEX	India, Singapore	Navy
Tarang Shakti	India + multinational	Air Force (first multilateral IAF exercise, 2024)
Pralay Sahayam	India, ASEAN	Humanitarian assistance

India’s Nuclear Doctrine

Aspect	Details
First nuclear test	Smiling Buddha — 18 May 1974 (Pokhran-I, “peaceful nuclear explosion”)
Second test	Pokhran-II (Operation Shakti) — 11 and 13 May 1998 (under PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee)
Nuclear doctrine	No First Use (NFU) — India will not use nuclear weapons first
Massive retaliation	If attacked with nuclear weapons, India reserves the right to respond with massive retaliation
Nuclear Command Authority	Political Council (headed by PM — authorises use) and Executive Council (headed by CDS — executes)
Nuclear triad	Land (Agni missiles), Sea (Arihant submarines), Air (fighter aircraft)
India is NOT a signatory to	NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) or CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty)

Paramilitary and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)

Force	Under	Role
BSF (Border Security Force)	MHA	Guards India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders
CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force)	MHA	Internal security, anti-Naxal operations; largest CAPF
CISF (Central Industrial Security Force)	MHA	Protects airports, metro, industrial installations
ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police)	MHA	Guards India-China border
SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal)	MHA	Guards India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders
NSG (National Security Guard)	MHA	Counter-terrorism; “Black Cats”
Assam Rifles	MHA (operational control: Army)	Guards India-Myanmar border; oldest paramilitary force (1835)

PSC-Focused Quick Recall

Question Pattern	Answer
Supreme Commander of Armed Forces	President of India
Army Day	15 January
Navy Day	4 December
Air Force Day	8 October
First CDS of India	General Bipin Rawat
BrahMos is a joint venture of	India and Russia
First indigenous aircraft carrier	INS Vikrant
Pokhran-II year	1998
India’s nuclear policy	No First Use
Southern Naval Command HQ	Kochi
Largest CAPF	CRPF
Oldest paramilitary force	Assam Rifles (1835)
DRDO headquarters	New Delhi
IAF motto is from	Bhagavad Gita
Tejas manufactured by	HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited)