Indian Army
The land force of India: it defends the country on land and helps in disasters.
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Defence awareness
Simple, well-checked notes on the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy, and on the wider world of defence, for every student who dreams of wearing the uniform.
The three services
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Each service page has its history, structure, ranks, how to join, and a list of its weapons, aircraft or ships.
Photo: cell105, CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Dylan Agbagni, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons Indian Air Force
The air arm of India: it guards the sky and supports the Army and Navy from the air.
Air Force aircraft and weapons
Read about the Air Force
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Indian Navy
The sea force of India: it guards the oceans, the coast and the ships that carry India's trade.
Read about the Navy
More to explore
Photo: BellaNYork, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons Indian Coast Guard
Guards the coast and sea zones in peace time; rescue and pollution control.
Paramilitary forces (CAPF)
BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles: the Central Armed Police Forces.
Photo: Imahesh3847, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons DRDO: Defence Research and Development Organisation
The scientists who design missiles, radars, tanks and aircraft for India.
Photo: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Defence PSUs
The government companies that build ships, aircraft, missiles and vehicles.
Joint commands and the CDS
Chief of Defence Staff, Andaman and Nicobar Command, Strategic Forces Command.
Photo: Ministry of Defence, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Missiles and the nuclear triad
Agni, Prithvi, BrahMos and how India can deliver nuclear weapons from land, air and sea.
Photo: Mansi singh200310, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Wars and famous operations
From 1947 to Kargil and after: the wars and operations every aspirant should know.
Photo: Krishna Chaitanya Velaga, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Gallantry awards
Param Vir Chakra, Ashoka Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra and the other honours.
Photo: Sourabh.scd, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Training academies
NDA, IMA, OTA, Air Force Academy, Naval Academy and more.
Latest defence news
Headlines from the official Press Information Bureau. Tap a headline to read it on the source.
Browse everything
Photo: cell105, CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons T-90 Bhishma
A modern main battle tank of Russian design, one of the main tanks of the Armoured Corps. Many are assembled in India.
Photo: Doordarshan, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons T-72 Ajeya
A Soviet-origin tank that has served the Army for decades. It has been upgraded several times.
Photo: Government of India, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Arjun
India's own main battle tank, designed by DRDO and built at Avadi.
Photo: Government of India, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Zorawar light tank
A light tank being developed for mountain areas such as Ladakh, named after General Zorawar Singh.
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons BMP-2 Sarath
An infantry combat vehicle: a tracked armoured vehicle that carries infantry and fights alongside tanks.
Photo: Mick from Northamptonshire, England, CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons Bofors FH-77B
A 155 mm towed howitzer from Sweden. It became well known for its use in the Kargil War in 1999.
Photo: Sigma147, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons K9 Vajra-T
A self-propelled gun: a 155 mm gun on a tracked vehicle that can move with the tanks.
Photo: U.S. Army National Guard (Sgt. Grayson Cavaliere), Public domain · Wikimedia Commons M777 ultra-light howitzer
A light 155 mm towed gun that can be lifted by helicopter, useful in the mountains.
Photo: Government of India, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Dhanush
An Indian-made 155 mm towed gun developed from the Bofors design.
Photo: DRDO, Government of India, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons ATAGS
The Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, an Indian-designed 155 mm gun.
Photo: Hemant.rawat1234, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher
An Indian rocket launcher that fires many rockets in a short time to cover a large area.
Photo: Boevaya mashina, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Smerch
A long-range heavy rocket launcher from Russia.
Photo: Saurabh1212, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons INSAS rifle
The Indian Small Arms System, the standard Indian-made rifle for many years.
Photo: Sumbria.vikramaditya, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons AK-203
A modern assault rifle of the Kalashnikov family, made in Korwa, Amethi, in Uttar Pradesh.
Photo: Sumbria.vikramaditya, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons SIG Sauer 716
A rifle bought from the United States for front-line troops.
Photo: Ajai Shukla, CC BY 2.5 India · Wikimedia Commons Nag anti-tank missile
An Indian anti-tank guided missile developed by DRDO. It is a "fire-and-forget" missile: it finds the target by itself.
Photo: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Prithvi
The first missile developed under India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme: a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons BrahMos (land-attack)
A supersonic cruise missile made by an India-Russia joint venture. The Army uses a land-attack version. The name comes from the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.
Photo: Ministry of Defence, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Akash
An Indian medium-range surface-to-air missile system that protects areas against aircraft and drones. Used by the Army and the Air Force.
Photo: Vitaly V. Kuzmin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Igla-S
A shoulder-fired missile a soldier can use against low-flying aircraft and helicopters.
Photo: Ayonpradhan, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons L-70 gun
A 40 mm anti-aircraft gun that has served the air defence regiments for a long time.
Photo: KALX999, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ALH Dhruv
An Indian-built multi-role helicopter used by the Army Aviation Corps for transport, rescue and reconnaissance.
Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit photographer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Heron drone
A medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft used to watch borders and send back pictures.
Aviation and drones Nagastra-1
An Indian-made "loitering munition": a small drone that flies over an area and then dives onto its target.
Photo: Aeroprints.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Su-30MKI
A large twin-engine, two-seat multi-role fighter that forms the backbone of the fighter force. Many were assembled in India.
Photo: Dylan Agbagni, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons Dassault Rafale
A French twin-engine multi-role fighter flown by the Indian Air Force. The first ones reached Ambala (Haryana) in July 2020.
Photo: Aeroprints.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Mirage 2000 "Vajra"
A French single-engine fighter that proved its worth in the Kargil War and in the Balakot strike of 2019.
Photo: Aeroprints.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons MiG-29 "Baaz"
A Russian air-superiority fighter, inducted in the 1980s and upgraded since.
Photo: SSgt Mathew Hannen, U.S. Air Force, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons SEPECAT Jaguar
A deep-penetration strike aircraft of British-French design, built in India under licence.
Photo: Rahuldevnath, CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons HAL Tejas
India's own light combat aircraft, designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and built by HAL.
Photo: Sanil Nath, CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons MiG-21 (retired)
A Soviet-origin fighter that served for more than sixty years, the first supersonic fighter of the IAF.
Photo: Colin Cooke Photo, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons C-17 Globemaster III
A very large strategic transport aircraft that can carry heavy vehicles and many soldiers over long distances.
Photo: Naman Vishwajeet, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons C-130J Super Hercules
A four-engine tactical transport aircraft that can land on short, rough runways. Used by special forces.
Photo: Indian Air Force, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Ilyushin Il-76 "Gajraj"
A heavy Russian transport aircraft used for moving troops and equipment.
Photo: Damanbir, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons Antonov An-32 "Sutlej"
A medium transport aircraft that is useful in the mountains because it can take off from high airfields.
Photo: Government of India, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons C-295
A new medium transport aircraft that replaces the older Avro aircraft. Some are being built in India at Vadodara.
Photo: Indian Air Force, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons AH-64E Apache
One of the most advanced attack helicopters in the world, armed with guns, rockets and anti-tank missiles.
Photo: Indian Air Force, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons CH-47F(I) Chinook
A heavy-lift helicopter with two rotors, used to carry guns, vehicles and troops to places without roads.
Photo: Ministry of Defence, Government of India, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Mi-17 V5
A medium transport helicopter used for troop movement, supply drops and rescue, including in the mountains.
Photo: Government of India, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons LCH Prachand
India's own Light Combat Helicopter, built for fighting at high altitudes such as Siachen and Ladakh.
Photo: Mohit S from Mumbai, India, CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons HAL Kiran
A jet trainer on which many pilots learnt to fly. It was built in India.
Photo: Government of India, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons BAE Hawk (Mk 132)
The advanced jet trainer on which fighter pilots finish their training. The "Surya Kiran" aerobatic team flies the Hawk.
Trainers Pilatus PC-7 Mk II
A propeller-driven trainer for the first stage of a cadet's flying training.
Photo: Government of India, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons HAL HTT-40
An Indian basic trainer aircraft being added to the Air Force.
Special mission A-50EI Phalcon AWACS
An Airborne Warning and Control System: a big radar dish on an aircraft that can see far over the horizon and guide fighters.
Photo: Ministry of Defence (India), Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Netra AEW&C
An Indian airborne early warning and control aircraft developed by DRDO.
Photo: Indian Air Force, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Il-78MKI tanker
An aircraft that refuels other aircraft in the air, so that fighters can fly farther.
Photo: Shanze1, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Astra missile
An Indian air-to-air missile for beyond-visual-range combat, developed by DRDO.
Photo: Boevaya mashina, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE · Wikimedia Commons Meteor missile
A long-range air-to-air missile carried by the Rafale.
Photo: Ministry of Defence, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons BrahMos (air-launched)
The BrahMos cruise missile in a version that the Su-30MKI can carry.
Photo: Dmitriy Fomin from Moscow, Russia, CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons S-400 Triumf
A long-range surface-to-air missile system from Russia that protects cities and air bases.
Photo: Ministry of Defence, Government of India, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Akash (Air Force)
The Indian medium-range surface-to-air missile system, also used by the Air Force to guard air bases and cities.
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons INS Vikramaditya
An aircraft carrier bought from Russia. It was the Soviet ship Admiral Gorshkov before it was rebuilt for India.
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons INS Vikrant
The first aircraft carrier designed and built in India, by Cochin Shipyard Limited. It is named after the Navy's first carrier.
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Visakhapatnam class (Project 15B)
Modern guided-missile destroyers built in Mumbai with many Indian-made systems. The first ship is INS Visakhapatnam.
Photo: MC3 David Flewellyn, U.S. Navy, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons Kolkata class (Project 15A)
Large stealth guided-missile destroyers built in India.
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Delhi class (Project 15)
The first destroyers of Indian design, built in the 1990s and 2000s.
Photo: Government of India, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Nilgiri class (Project 17A)
New stealth frigates built in India, successors of the Shivalik class. The first ship is INS Nilgiri.
Photo: Shiv Aroor, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Shivalik class (Project 17)
The first stealth frigates built in India.
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Talwar class
Frigates built for India in Russia. They carry the BrahMos missile.
Photo: Brian Burnell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Brahmaputra class (Project 16A)
Guided-missile frigates built in India.
Photo: Eastern Sword - Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Kamorta class (Project 28)
Anti-submarine warfare corvettes built in India.
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Kalvari class (Scorpene)
Diesel-electric attack submarines of a French design, built in Mumbai.
Photo: MC2 Andrew McPeek, U.S. Navy, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons Sindhughosh class
Diesel-electric submarines of the Russian Kilo class, in service for many years.
Photo: Chanakyathegreat, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons Arihant class (SSBN)
Nuclear-powered submarines that can launch ballistic missiles. They are the sea leg of India's nuclear triad. INS Arihant was India's first.
Photo: Ajai Shukla, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons INS Chakra (nuclear attack submarine)
A nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) that India has taken on lease from Russia for training and operations.
Photo: Prime Minister's Office, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons MiG-29K
The carrier-borne fighter that takes off from INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.
Photo: Akshay Daniel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons P-8I Neptune
A long-range maritime patrol aircraft that hunts submarines and ships.
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons MH-60R Seahawk
A multi-role helicopter that flies from ships to hunt submarines and attack surface ships.
Photo: U.S. 7th Fleet, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons Kamov Ka-31
A helicopter with a radar that gives the fleet early warning of enemy aircraft and missiles.
Photo: Indian Navy, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Dornier 228
A light aircraft built by HAL that watches India's coast and seas.
Photo: BellaNYork, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons Indian Coast Guard
Guards the coast and sea zones in peace time; rescue and pollution control.
Topic Paramilitary forces (CAPF)
BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles: the Central Armed Police Forces.
Photo: Imahesh3847, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons DRDO: Defence Research and Development Organisation
The scientists who design missiles, radars, tanks and aircraft for India.
Photo: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Defence PSUs
The government companies that build ships, aircraft, missiles and vehicles.
Topic Joint commands and the CDS
Chief of Defence Staff, Andaman and Nicobar Command, Strategic Forces Command.
Photo: Ministry of Defence, Government Open Data License – India · Wikimedia Commons Missiles and the nuclear triad
Agni, Prithvi, BrahMos and how India can deliver nuclear weapons from land, air and sea.
Photo: Mansi singh200310, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Wars and famous operations
From 1947 to Kargil and after: the wars and operations every aspirant should know.
Photo: Krishna Chaitanya Velaga, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Gallantry awards
Param Vir Chakra, Ashoka Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra and the other honours.
Photo: Sourabh.scd, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Training academies
NDA, IMA, OTA, Air Force Academy, Naval Academy and more.
Want to join?
Read the exam pages for NDA, CDS and AFCAT, the preparation guides, and the daily current affairs.