The Chief of the Army Staff (commonly called COAS) is the professional head of the Indian Army. He is the senior-most officer of the army. He holds the four-star rank of General. The COAS leads the army in both peace and war. He also advises the Government of India on all military matters.
This article gives the complete list of the Chiefs of Army Staff of India. It explains the post, traces how the title changed over time, and lists every chief with their tenure. It also highlights the most important chiefs and the facts that aspirants must remember. The list is current as of 2026 and is useful for NDA, CDS, AFCAT, UPSC and other defence exams.
Who is the Chief of the Army Staff ?
The Chief of the Army Staff is the highest-ranking officer in active service in the Indian Army. He commands the entire force. He is appointed by the President of India on the advice of the Government. The main features of the post are given below.
| Feature | Detail |
| Post | Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) |
| Service | Indian Army |
| Rank | General (four-star) |
| Appointed by | The President of India |
| Tenure | 3 years, or up to the age of 62, whichever is earlier |
| Headquarters | Integrated HQ of the Ministry of Defence (Army), New Delhi |
The COAS is appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. The committee is led by the Prime Minister. Once chosen, the officer is promoted to the rank of General. The COAS is also a permanent member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the National Security Council.
Current Chief of Army Staff (COAS)
As of 25 June 2026, General Upendra Dwivedi is the serving Chief of the Army Staff of India. He took over as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff on 30 June 2024.
The Government of India has appointed Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff. He is scheduled to take over from the afternoon of 30 June 2026.
How the Title Changed Over Time
The post has a long history, and its name has changed over the years.
Before Independence, the head of the army was called the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C). After Independence in 1947, two British officers served as C-in-C during the transition. On 15 January 1949, General K. M. Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. This day is now celebrated every year as Army Day.
In 1955, the title was changed from Commander-in-Chief to Chief of the Army Staff. This was done through the Commanders-in-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955. Since then, the head of the army has been called the COAS.
The British Commanders-in-Chief (Before the First Indian Chief)
Before General Cariappa, two British officers led the Indian Army for a short period after Independence.
| Commander-in-Chief | Tenure |
| General Sir Robert Mcgregor Macdonald Lockhart | 15 Aug 1947 – 31 Dec 1947 |
| Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher | 1 Jan 1948 – 14 Jan 1949 |
Complete List of Indian Chiefs of Army Staff
The table below lists all the Indian heads of the army, from the first Indian chief to the present. The early chiefs held the title of Commander-in-Chief, and from 1955 the title became Chief of the Army Staff. By this count, General Upendra Dwivedi is the 30th Chief of the Army Staff.
| No. | Chief of Army Staff | Tenure |
| 1 | Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa | 15 Jan 1949 – 14 Jan 1953 |
| 2 | General Maharaj Rajendrasinhji Jadeja | 15 Jan 1953 – 14 May 1955 |
| 3 | General S. M. Srinagesh | 15 May 1955 – 7 May 1957 |
| 4 | General K. S. Thimayya | 8 May 1957 – 7 May 1961 |
| 5 | General P. N. Thapar | 8 May 1961 – 19 Nov 1962 |
| 6 | General J. N. Chaudhuri | 20 Nov 1962 – 7 Jun 1966 |
| 7 | General P. P. Kumaramangalam | 8 Jun 1966 – 7 Jun 1969 |
| 8 | Field Marshal S. H. F. J. Manekshaw | 8 Jun 1969 – 15 Jan 1973 |
| 9 | General G. G. Bewoor | 16 Jan 1973 – 31 May 1975 |
| 10 | General T. N. Raina | 1 Jun 1975 – 31 May 1978 |
| 11 | General O. P. Malhotra | 1 Jun 1978 – 31 May 1981 |
| 12 | General K. V. Krishna Rao | 1 Jun 1981 – 31 Jul 1983 |
| 13 | General A. S. Vaidya | 1 Aug 1983 – 31 Jan 1986 |
| 14 | General K. Sundarji | 1 Feb 1986 – 30 Apr 1988 |
| 15 | General V. N. Sharma | 1 May 1988 – 30 Jun 1990 |
| 16 | General S. F. Rodrigues | 1 Jul 1990 – 30 Jun 1993 |
| 17 | General B. C. Joshi | 1 Jul 1993 – 18 Nov 1994 |
| 18 | General Shankar Roychowdhury | 22 Nov 1994 – 30 Sep 1997 |
| 19 | General V. P. Malik | 1 Oct 1997 – 30 Sep 2000 |
| 20 | General S. Padmanabhan | 1 Oct 2000 – 31 Dec 2002 |
| 21 | General N. C. Vij | 1 Jan 2003 – 31 Jan 2005 |
| 22 | General J. J. Singh | 1 Feb 2005 – 30 Sep 2007 |
| 23 | General Deepak Kapoor | 30 Sep 2007 – 31 Mar 2010 |
| 24 | General V. K. Singh | 31 Mar 2010 – 31 May 2012 |
| 25 | General Bikram Singh | 31 May 2012 – 31 Jul 2014 |
| 26 | General Dalbir Singh Suhag | 31 Jul 2014 – 31 Dec 2016 |
| 27 | General Bipin Rawat | 31 Dec 2016 – 31 Dec 2019 |
| 28 | General Manoj Mukund Naravane | 31 Dec 2019 – 30 Apr 2022 |
| 29 | General Manoj Pande | 30 Apr 2022 – 30 Jun 2024 |
| 30 | General Upendra Dwivedi | 30 Jun 2024 – present |
Notable Chiefs and Important “Firsts”
Some chiefs are remembered for special reasons. These facts are often asked in exams.
- General K. M. Cariappa was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. He later became a Field Marshal in 1986.
- General Maharaj Rajendrasinhji was the first Indian officer to be promoted to the full rank of General.
- General K. S. Thimayya is regarded as the longest-serving chief, with a tenure of about four years (1957–1961).
- General P. N. Thapar led the army during the 1962 war with China and resigned during that conflict.
- General J. N. Chaudhuri led the army during the 1965 war with Pakistan.
- Field Marshal S. H. F. J. Manekshaw led the army to victory in the 1971 war, which created Bangladesh. He became the first Field Marshal of India.
- General V. P. Malik was the chief during the 1999 Kargil War.
- General J. J. Singh was the first Sikh officer to become the Chief of the Army Staff.
- General Bipin Rawat later became the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India.
- General Upendra Dwivedi is the current and 30th Chief of the Army Staff. He took charge on 30 June 2024.
Two Chiefs of Army Staff, Cariappa and Manekshaw, were later given the five-star rank of Field Marshal. You can read more about this in our article on the Field Marshal of India.
Key Points for Defence Aspirants
For exams like the NDA, CDS, AFCAT and UPSC, and for the SSB interview, the following facts are the most important to remember.
- The COAS is the professional head of the Indian Army. He holds the four-star rank of General.
- The tenure of a COAS is three years, or until the age of 62, whichever comes first.
- General K. M. Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief on 15 January 1949. This day is Army Day.
- The title changed from Commander-in-Chief to Chief of the Army Staff in 1955.
- Field Marshal Manekshaw was the chief during the 1971 war.
- General K. S. Thimayya was the longest-serving chief.
- General Bipin Rawat became the first Chief of Defence Staff.
- General Upendra Dwivedi is the current and 30th Chief of the Army Staff (since 30 June 2024).
The Chief of the Army Staff stands at the head of the Indian Army. The post has been held by many great leaders since 1949. Each chief has added to the strength and honour of the army. From General Cariappa, the first Indian chief, to General Upendra Dwivedi, the current chief, the list tells the story of India’s military leadership. For every defence aspirant, learning this list is an important step in understanding the Indian Army.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who is the current Chief of the Army Staff of India?
A. General Upendra Dwivedi is the current Chief of the Army Staff. He took charge on 30 June 2024 and is the 30th COAS.
Q2. Who was the first Indian Chief of the Army Staff?
A. General K. M. Cariappa was the first Indian head of the army. He became the Commander-in-Chief on 15 January 1949.
Q3. What is the rank of the Chief of the Army Staff?
A. The COAS holds the four-star rank of General. It is the highest rank in active service in the Indian Army.
Q4. What is the tenure of the Chief of the Army Staff?
A. The tenure is three years, or until the officer reaches the age of 62, whichever comes first.
Q5. When did the title change from Commander-in-Chief to Chief of the Army Staff?
A. The title changed in 1955 through the Commanders-in-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955.
Q6. Which Chief of the Army Staff led the 1971 war?
A. General S. H. F. J. Manekshaw led the army during the 1971 war. He later became the first Field Marshal of India.
Q7. Who was the longest-serving Chief of the Army Staff?
A. General K. S. Thimayya is regarded as the longest-serving chief, with a tenure of about four years (1957–1961).
Q8. Which Army Chief became the first Chief of Defence Staff?
A. General Bipin Rawat became the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India in January 2020.
Q9. Why is 15 January celebrated as Army Day?
A. On 15 January 1949, General K. M. Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. This day is celebrated as Army Day.
Q10. How many Chiefs of Army Staff has India had?
A. By the standard count from the first Indian chief, India has had 30 Chiefs of Army Staff, with General Upendra Dwivedi as the 30th.
