How the Indian Navy is shedding its colonial-era rank structure for domestic traditions

Wars & Conflicts · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For decades, the Indian Navy maintained a rank structure inherited from the British Royal Indian Navy. Recently, the force began a significant transition to replace colonial-era designations with Indian-origin names and symbols. This shift aims to modernize the military hierarchy while honoring domestic traditions and fostering a gender-neutral perspective.

The roots of the Indian Navy's hierarchy trace back to the 1947 independence era, when the force retained the nomenclature and insignia of the Royal Indian Navy. In 1949, Lord Mountbatten advised Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to keep these structures largely intact as the nation transitioned into a republic. This advice was followed in January 1950, with the only major change being the replacement of the Union Jack on the naval ensign with the Indian tricolor.

Decades later, in December 2022, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar proposed a structural overhaul to move away from what many perceived as a colonial mindset. By October 2023, the Navy announced plans to revise the Personnel Below Officer Rank cadre to include gender-neutral, Indian-origin titles. For example, the term 'seaman' was slated to become 'nausainik'. Additionally, flag officer insignia were updated to feature an octagonal naval crest, a new sword-and-telescope design, and an anchor emblem.

The hierarchy remains divided into Commissioned Officers, Junior Commissioned Officers, and Other Ranks. While the highest rank of Admiral is a four-star position, the Navy lacks a five-star equivalent, unlike the Indian Army or Air Force. The path to these ranks has evolved over time; for instance, Master Chief Petty Officer I and II were only introduced in December 1968 to replace the Chief Petty Officer designation. Despite the ambitious modernization plans announced during the 2023 Navy Day, reports in 2025 indicated that the rollout of these new names had stalled.

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