Chief of the Army Staff (India)
The Chief of the Army Staff is the professional head, commander, and usually the highest-ranking military officer of the Indian Army. The position is abbreviated as COAS in Indian Army, and is always held by a full General.
The current COAS is General Manoj Mukund Naravane, who took office on 31 December 2019.The post of Commander-in-Chief, India was established in 1748 to designate the commander of all forces of East India Company.
After 1857 the Commander-in-Chief become the supreme commander of British Indian Army.The Commander-in-Chief was closely in contact with Office of the Viceroy of India.
After partition in 1947 the post of Commander-in-Chief was divided into- Commander-in-Chief of Indian Army, Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Army and Commander-in-Chief of British Forces in India and Pakistan. At Independence, the head of the Army was designated the "Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army." On 21 June 1948, the title of "Chief of the Army Staff" was added. The office of the Chief of the Army Staff was created through The Commanders-In-Chief Act of the Indian Parliament in 1955. It replaced the erstwhile office of the Commander-in-Chief, Army. The office is based at South Block of the Central Secretariat at Raisina Hill, New Delhi.
Appointments to the office are made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. The COAS reaches superannuation upon three years in the office or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.Appointees
The following table chronicles the appointees to the office of the Chief of the Army Staff or its preceding positions since the independence of India.Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army (1947–1948)
Chief of the Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army (1948-1955)
Chief of the Army Staff (1955–present)
