National Defence College Of India
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The National Defence College, located in
New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...
, is the defence service training institute and highest seat of strategic learning for officers of the Defence Service and the
Civil Services The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...
. This is a very prestigious course attended only by a few hand-picked defence officers of One-Star rank and civil servants of the rank of
Joint secretary to the Government of India Joint Secretary to the Government of India (often abbreviated as JS, GoI or Union Joint Secretary or Joint Secretary to Union of India) is a post under the Central Staffing Scheme and the third highest non-political executive rank in the Govern ...
. Each year, approximately 25 officers from friendly foreign countries like the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, UAE and others attend the course. This college provides strategic leadership to the Government of India in national and international security matters and also acts as a think tank on defence matters and holds a very important position in shaping up the Indian defence outlook.


History

After India's independence in 1947, senior officers of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force attended the
Imperial Defence College The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) instructs the most promising senior officers of the British Armed Forces, His Majesty's Diplomatic Service and Civil Service in national defence and international security matters at the highest level ...
(IDC) in the United Kingdom before being appointed to important commands. The vacancies at the IDC was only about two or three each year. In 1959, the
Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
announced that a college on the pattern of the IDC will set up in New Delhi. This would allow for a larger number of officers to be trained.
Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
Kanwar Bahadur Singh, the Adjutant General at Army HQ was appointed the first Commandant of the college.


Location

The College is located on
Tees January Marg Tees January Marg (Hindi: 30 January Road) is a marg (road) in New Delhi, Delhi, India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country ...
of
Lutyens' Delhi Lutyens' Delhi is an area in New Delhi, India, named after the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, Edwin Lutyens (1869–1944), who was entrusted with the vast majority of the architectural design and buildings of the city that subsequently e ...
, in a grand British-era building spread over acres of lush green lawns. The building was built by
Sir Sobha Singh Magistrate, Honorary Magistrate, Sardar Bahadur, Sir Sobha Singh , Member of the Legislative Assembly, M.L.C., Member of parliament, M.P. (March 5, 1888 – 18 April 1978) was an Indian civil contractor, prominent builder and real estate develo ...
as a mansion for Khan Saheb Tej Muhammad Khan of
Badrashi Badrashi is a town in the Nowshera District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is located at . Overview According to the latest census (2017), the population of Badrashi is 45,771. Badrashi has 10 Mohallahs - Awaan, Eidgah, Miangaan, Aqa Khel, Essa Kh ...
,
North-West Frontier Province The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP; ) was a province of British India from 1901 to 1947, of the Dominion of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955, and of the Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan from 1970 to 2010. It was established on 9 November ...
. From 1939 to 1947, the building served as an Army General Mess. From 1947 to 1960, it was the office and residence of the Deputy High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to India. The college is adjacent to the home where Mahatma Gandhi lived the last five months of his life, and the garden where he was assassinated - the
Gandhi Smriti Gandhi Smriti, formerly known as Birla House or Birla Bhavan, is a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, situated on Tees January Road, formerly Albuquerque Road, in New Delhi, India. It is the location where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last ...
. Residential facilities for the officers are located in the central vista of Delhi, on Ashok Rajpath near India Gate. The Commandant of NDC has a bungalow at 16,
Akbar Road Akbar Road is a main road in central New Delhi, India. This road is named after Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, the third ruler of the Mughal dynasty. At the north-east end it stretches from the India Gate roundabout. At the south-west end it str ...
called NDC House.


Crest

The crest of NDC has a lamp of knowledge surrounded by the wreath of green Ashoka tree leaves with the
State Emblem of India The State Emblem of India is the national emblem of the Republic of India and is used by the union government, many state governments, and other government agencies. The emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, an ancient scul ...
superimposed and placed against the rich maroon backdrop of the Joint Services flag. The lamp has four flames representing the
Indian Army The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...
, the
Indian Navy The Indian Navy (IN) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Navy, maritime and Amphibious warfare, amphibious branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of the Naval Staff (India), Chief ...
, the
Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...
and the
Civil Services of India In India, the Civil Service is the collection of civil servants of the government who constitute the permanent executive branch of the country. This includes servants in the All India Services, the Central Civil Services, and various State Ci ...
.


Commandant

The NDC is headed by the Commandant who is the overall in-charge of all the functioning of the college including academics and administration. The Commandant of the college is an Officer of
Three-star rank Military star ranking is military terminology, used in mainly English speaking countries, to describe general and flag officers. Within NATO's armed forces, the stars are equal to OF-6–10. Star ranking One-star A one-star rank is usual ...
. The tenure of each Commandant is for 2 years which rotates between the
Indian Army The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...
, the
Indian Navy The Indian Navy (IN) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Navy, maritime and Amphibious warfare, amphibious branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of the Naval Staff (India), Chief ...
and the
Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...
.


Faculty and staff

The Faculty of NDC was designed to be minimal. There are called Senior Directing Staff (SDS) and direct the students, rather than deliver lectures. The lectures are delivered by distinguished guest speakers. The SDS is drawn from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Civil services and are of
two-star rank Military star ranking is military terminology, used in mainly English speaking countries, to describe general and flag officers. Within NATO's armed forces, the stars are equal to OF-6–10. Star ranking One-star A one-star rank is usuall ...
. Usually, there are 7 SDS (
Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
– 3,
Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
– 1,
Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
– 1, IAS – 1 and IFS – 1). Apart from these 7 SDS, the college regularly invites think tanks, ambassadors of different nations, business leaders, ministers from India and friendly countries, defence chiefs of friendly countries to give lectures in the college. The administrative wing is headed by the Secretary, a one-star officer from the Indian Army and an alumnus of NDC. He is assisted by the Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster General (AA&QMG), an officer of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Other key staff include the Directing Staff (Coordination) (DS Coord) and Junior Directing Staff (Research & Reference) (JDS R&R). They are officers from the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force on rotation. The DS (Coord) is of the rank of
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
/
Group Captain Group captain (Gp Capt or G/C) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British influence. Group cap ...
and the JDS (R&R) is of the rank of Commander/Wing Commander.


Course

The NDC conducts a 47-week National Security and Strategic Study course each year which commences in the first week of January each year and finishes in the first week of December. This course also involves extensive travel within and outside the country to visit Indian states and foreign countries where course members meet head of states and important decision makers to understand the political, social and strategic landscape of the state/country. The entire course is divided in six subjects spread over two terms, as follows: * Understanding India & Introduction to Strategy * Study on Economic Security, Science and Technology * Global Issues * International Security Environment * India’s Strategic Neighbourhood * Strategies and Structures for National Security


Method of Study

During the course of each study, the course is divided into seven groups called Integrated Analysis Groups (IAG). Each IAG comprises 13–14 members (4–5 army officers, 1 naval officer, 1–2 air force officers, 3–4 IAS/IPS/Civil Services officers and 4–5 foreign military officers). Each IAG function in a synergetic mode for the purpose of analysing issues, discussions, preparation of papers and presentations. Since 2006, the college has been formally affiliated with
Madras University The University of Madras is a public university, public State university (India), state university in Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1857, it is one of the oldest and most prominent universities in India, incorporated by an ...
for the award of M.Phil. degree in 'Defence and Strategic Studies.'


Notable Indian Alumni

The Indian alumni include both Chiefs of the Defence Staffs, 13 Chiefs of the Army Staff, 9 Chiefs of the Naval Staff, 10 Chiefs of the Air Staff, 3 Directors of the Intelligence Bureau, 2 Chief Election Commissioners, 12 Ambassadors of India, 3 Directors of CBI, 3 Defence Secretaries and 3 Foreign Secretaries. Five alumni went on to become Governors of Indian States/UT - Balmiki Prasad Singh,
Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
Krishna Mohan Seth Lieutenant General Krishna Mohan Seth retired as the Adjutant General of Indian Army and was the Governor of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Tripura. Personal life Krishna Mohan Seth was born on 19 December 1939, in Allahabad. He is married to ...
,
Vinod Kumar Duggal Vinod Kumar Duggal (born 26 November 1944) is a retired Indian civil servant. Duggal served as Home Secretary in the Government of India from 2005 to 2007 in the government of Manmohan Singh. He belongs to the 1968 batch of IAS. On 23 December ...
,
E. S. L. Narasimhan Ekkadu Srinivasan Lakshmi Narasimhan (born 4 November 1945) is an Indian former civil servant and politician who served as the first Governor of Telangana. He assumed office of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh on 8 December 2009 until 23 July 201 ...
and Lieutenant General
Gurmit Singh Gurmit Singh (born 24 March 1965; ; ) is a Singaporean actor, comedian and host. He was prominently a full-time Mediacorp artiste from 1994 to 2014. He is best known for his role as the titular character Phua Chu Kang in ''Phua Chu Kang Pte Lt ...
.


Notable International Alumni


Heads of State, Heads of Government, and Representatives

*
Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
Hussain Muhammad Ershad Hussain Muhammad Ershad (1 February 1930 – 14 July 2019) was a Bangladeshi military officer, dictator and politician who served as President of Bangladesh, the president of Bangladesh from 1982 to 1990. He seized power as a result of a 1982 ...
, 10th
President of Bangladesh President of Bangladesh (POB), officially the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is the head of state of Bangladesh and commander-in-chief of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The role of the president has changed three times since ...
& 4th
Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army Chief of Army Staff (CAS) () of Bangladesh Army, is the commander of the Bangladesh Army. The Chief of Army staff has been a four-star rank since 2007. Prior to that, the Chief of Army Staff was a three-star rank from 1978 to 2007. During the ...
*
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (born 21 February 1980) is the fifth Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King) of Bhutan. His reign began in 2006 after his father Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicated the throne. A public coronation ceremony was held on 6 November ...
, 5th
Druk Gyalpo The King of Bhutan, officially the Druk Gyalpo (; ), is the constitutional monarch and head of state of the Kingdom of Bhutan. In the Dzongkha language, Bhutan is known as ''Drukyul'' which translates as "The Land of the Thunder Drago ...
(King of Bhutan) * Lieutenant General
Fred Akuffo Lieutenant General Frederick William "Fred" Kwasi Akuffo (21 March 1937 – 26 June 1979) was a Ghanaian soldier and politician who was the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces from 1976 to 1978, and chairman of the ruling S ...
, 7th
Head of state of Ghana This is a list of the heads of state of Ghana, from the independence of Ghana in 1957 to the present day. From 1957 to 1960 the head of state under the Constitution of 1957 was the queen of Ghana, Elizabeth II, who was also the monarch of oth ...
and 12th Chief of the Defence Staff of the
Ghana Armed Forces The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is the state military organisation of Ghana, consisting of the Army (GA), Navy (GN), and Ghana Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces is the president of Ghana, who is also the supreme military ...
*
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
Sir Peter Cosgrove, 26th Governor-General of Australia and 10th Chief of Defence Force of the
Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...


Chiefs of Defence

* General
Rohan Daluwatte General Rohan De Silva Daluwatte, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP (9 May 1941 – 27 August 2018) was a senior officer of the Sri Lanka Army. He served as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Chief of the Defence Staff. Following his retirement fr ...
, 1st Chief of the Defence Staff of
Sri Lanka Armed Forces The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (Sri Lank ...
& 14th
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...
* General
Lionel Balagalle General Lionel Piyananda Balagalle, (15 June 1947 – 26 October 2023), was a senior Sri Lanka Army officer, who served as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and the Chief of the Defence Staff. He is known for formalising military intelligen ...
, 2nd Chief of the Defence Staff of
Sri Lanka Armed Forces The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (Sri Lank ...
& 16th
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...
*
Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Donald Perera Air Chief Marshal G Donald Perera VSV, Uttama Seva Padakkama, USP is a Sri Lanka air officer who served as Commander of the Air Force (Sri Lanka), commander of the Air Force from 2002 to 2006 and Chief of the Defence Staff (Sri Lanka), Chief of ...
, 4th Chief of the Defence Staff of
Sri Lanka Armed Forces The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (Sri Lank ...
& 11th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force * General
Shavendra Silva General Shavendra Silva, (, ) is a retired Sri Lanka Army officer who served as Chief of Defence Staff, the head of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2024. He also served as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army fro ...
, 11th Chief of the Defence Staff of
Sri Lanka Armed Forces The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (Sri Lank ...
& 23rd
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...
*
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Ravindra Wijegunaratne, 10th Chief of the Defence Staff of
Sri Lanka Armed Forces The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (Sri Lank ...
& 20th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy * Air Vice Marshal Napoleon Ashley-Lassen, 10th Chief of the Defence Staff of the
Ghana Armed Forces The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is the state military organisation of Ghana, consisting of the Army (GA), Navy (GN), and Ghana Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces is the president of Ghana, who is also the supreme military ...
& 6th Chief of Air Staff of
Ghana Air Force The Ghana Air Force (GHF) is the aerial warfare organizational military branch of the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF). The GHF, along with the Ghana army, Ghanaian army (GA) and Ghana Navy, Ghanaian navy (GN), make up the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghanaia ...
* Brigadier
Joseph Nunoo-Mensah Brigadier Joseph Nunoo-Mensah (born 14 February 1939) is a Ghanaian soldier and politician. He is a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was also a member of the Provisional National Defence Council government which over ...
, 16th Chief of the Defence Staff of the
Ghana Armed Forces The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is the state military organisation of Ghana, consisting of the Army (GA), Navy (GN), and Ghana Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces is the president of Ghana, who is also the supreme military ...
* Major General
Edwin Sam Major General Edwin Kwamina Sam (born 10 August 1940) is a member of the Council of State of Ghana. He is also a former Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. Education Edwin Sam had his secondary school education at Achimo ...
, 17th Chief of the Defence Staff of the
Ghana Armed Forces The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is the state military organisation of Ghana, consisting of the Army (GA), Navy (GN), and Ghana Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces is the president of Ghana, who is also the supreme military ...
* Lieutenant General Seth Obeng, 24th Chief of the Defence Staff of the
Ghana Armed Forces The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is the state military organisation of Ghana, consisting of the Army (GA), Navy (GN), and Ghana Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces is the president of Ghana, who is also the supreme military ...
* General Azizan Ariffin, 17th Chief of Defence Forces of the
Malaysian Armed Forces The Malaysian Armed Forces (: MAF; ; Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ), are the armed forces of Malaysia, consists of three branches; the Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The number of MAF active personnel is 113,000 ...
* Major General
Moosa Ali Jaleel Major General (Retired) Moosa Ali Jaleel GOMH M.Phil. MSc ndc psc is a retired 2 star officer of the Maldives National Defence Force who served as the 3rd Chief of Defence Force of Maldives National Defence Force from 18 November 2008 unti ...
, 3rd Chief of Defence Force of the
Maldives National Defence Force Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF; ) is the military, national military responsible for defending the national security, security and sovereignty of the Maldives. It is primarily responsible per the Constitution of the Maldives, constitut ...
* Major General Hamzah Sahat, 11th Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces * General Jacob John Mkunda, 9th Chief of Defence Force of the
Tanzania People's Defence Force The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) () is the military force of the United Republic of Tanzania. It was established in September 1964, following a mutiny by the former colonial military force, the Tanganyika Rifles. From its inception, ...
* Lieutenant General
Gibson Jalo Gibson Sanda Jalo (1 March 1939 – 10 January 2000) was a Nigerian Army Lieutenant-general (Nigeria), lieutenant general, who was the Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria), Chief of Army Staff (COAS) from April 1980 until October 1981. He also served ...
, 2nd Chief of the Defence Staff of the
Nigerian Armed Forces The Nigerian Armed Forces (NAF) are the Military, military forces of Nigeria. The forces consist of three service branches: the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, and Nigerian Air Force. The President of Nigeria functions as the commander-in-chief of ...
& 7th
Chief of Army Staff Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boat ...
of the
Nigerian Army The Nigerian Army (NA) is the land force of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is the largest component of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The President of Nigeria is the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Army, and its professional head is the Chie ...
* General Sher Mohammad Karimi, 2nd Chief of General Staff of the
Afghan Armed Forces The Afghan Armed Forces, officially the Armed Forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (, ) and also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Armed Forces, is the military of Afghanistan, commanded by the Taliban government from 1997 to 2001 and a ...
* Major General Hamzah Sahat, 11th Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces


Army

*
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
Denis Perera Joseph Everard Denis Perera (10 October 1930 – 11 August 2013) was a senior Sri Lanka Army officer who served as Commander of the Sri Lankan Army from 1977 to 1981. He was also the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia, Chairman of the S ...
, 8th
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...
* General Tissa Weeratunga, 9th
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...
* General Nalin Seneviratne, 10th
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...
* General
Hamilton Wanasinghe General Hamilton Wanasinghe, VSV (18 August 1933 – 13 June 2025) was a Sri Lankan military officer and politician. He was full general in the Sri Lanka Army, serving as the 11th Commander of the Sri Lankan Army (1988–1991), third General ...
, 11th
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...
* General G. H. de Silva, 13th
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...
* General Srilal Weerasooriya, 15th
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...
* General
Shantha Kottegoda General Shantha H.S. Kottegoda, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP (born November 6, 1949) is a retired senior Sri Lanka Army The Sri Lanka Army (; ) is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. The army was officially established as ...
, 17th
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...
* Major General Matheus Alueendo, 7th Commander of the
Namibian Army The Namibian Army is the ground warfare branch of the Namibian Defence Force. History Development of Namibia's army was the fastest of the three arms of service. The first units of the Army were deployed as early as 1990. The Army was formed ...
* Major General
Chris Alli Mohammed Chris Alli (25 December 1944 – 19 November 2023) was a Nigerian Army major general who served as Chief of Army Staff from 1993 to 1994 under General Sani Abacha's regime and was military governor of Plateau State Nigeria from Aug ...
, 13th
Chief of Army Staff Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boat ...
of the
Nigerian Army The Nigerian Army (NA) is the land force of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is the largest component of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The President of Nigeria is the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Army, and its professional head is the Chie ...
*
Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
Abdul Wadud, Principal Staff Officer of Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh * Lieutenant General
Abdulrahman Dambazau Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (born 14 March 1954) is a retired Nigerian army general and politician who served as Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria), Chief of Army Staff from 2008 to 2010 and in President Muhammadu Buhari's Cabinet of Nigeria, Cabin ...
, 21st
Chief of Army Staff Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boat ...
of the
Nigerian Army The Nigerian Army (NA) is the land force of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is the largest component of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The President of Nigeria is the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Army, and its professional head is the Chie ...
* General Purna Chandra Thapa, 12th
Chief of the Army Staff Chief of the Army Staff or Chief of Army Staff, which is generally abbreviated as COAS, is a title commonly used for the appointment held by the most senior staff officer or the chief commander in several nations' armies. * Chief of Army Staff ( ...
of the
Nepalese Army The Nepali Army (), also referred to as the Gorkhali Army (; see ''Gurkha, Gorkhas''), formally known as "Royal Nepal Army" is the Ground warfare, land Military branch, service branch of the Nepalese Armed Forces, Nepali Armed Forces. After t ...
* General Prabhu Ram Sharma, 13th
Chief of the Army Staff Chief of the Army Staff or Chief of Army Staff, which is generally abbreviated as COAS, is a title commonly used for the appointment held by the most senior staff officer or the chief commander in several nations' armies. * Chief of Army Staff ( ...
of the
Nepalese Army The Nepali Army (), also referred to as the Gorkhali Army (; see ''Gurkha, Gorkhas''), formally known as "Royal Nepal Army" is the Ground warfare, land Military branch, service branch of the Nepalese Armed Forces, Nepali Armed Forces. After t ...
* Lieutenant General Joseph Musanyufu, Joint Chief of Staff of the
Uganda People's Defence Force The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), previously known as the National Resistance Army, is the armed forces of Uganda. From 2007 to 2011, the International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated the UPDF had a total strength of 40,000–4 ...
* Major General Leopold Kyanda, Joint Chief of Staff of the
Uganda People's Defence Force The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), previously known as the National Resistance Army, is the armed forces of Uganda. From 2007 to 2011, the International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated the UPDF had a total strength of 40,000–4 ...
* Major General Matheus Alueendo, Army Commander of the
Namibian Army The Namibian Army is the ground warfare branch of the Namibian Defence Force. History Development of Namibia's army was the fastest of the three arms of service. The first units of the Army were deployed as early as 1990. The Army was formed ...


Navy

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Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Basil Gunasekara Admiral Deshamanya D. Basil Gunasekara (7 May 1929 – 17 February 2024) was the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy from 1973 to 1979. Early life and education Born to a planter in Katana, Gunasekara was the youngest child of a family of five m ...
, 7th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy *
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Henry Perera, 8th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy *
Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...
Asoka de Silva, 9th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy *
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
H. A. Silva, 10th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy *
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Clancy Fernando, 11th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy *
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
D. A. M. R. Samarasekara, 12th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy *
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Thisara Samarasinghe, 16th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy *
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
D. W. A. S. Dissanayake, 17th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy *
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Sirimevan Ranasinghe, 22nd Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy *
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Nishantha Ulugetenne Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, RSP and Bar, VSV, USP is a former senior Sri Lanka Navy officer. He served as 24th Commander of the Navy of the Sri Lanka Navy and current Sri Lankan Ambassador to Cuba. Early life and education Educated a ...
, 24th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy * Vice Admiral
Robert Walls Robert Walls (21 July 1950 – 15 May 2025) was an Australian rules footballer who represented and in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1960s and 1970s. In a playing career that spanned three decades, Walls played a combined 2 ...
, 5th Vice Chief of the Defence Force of the
Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...
* Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead, 2nd
Chief of Joint Capabilities Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boat ...
of the
Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...
* Vice Admiral Akintunde Aduwo, 6th Chief of Naval Staff of the
Nigerian Navy The Nigerian Navy (NN) is the Navy, naval branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Nigerian armed forces. With more than 70 warships, it is categorised as the fourth strongest navy in Africa (after South Africa, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco). It is co ...
* Vice Admiral E. O. Owusu-Ansah, 14th Chief of Naval Staff of the
Ghana Navy The Ghana Navy (GN) is the naval warfare organizational military branch of the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF). The Ghanaian Navy, along with the Ghana Army, Ghanaian Army (GA) and Ghana Air Force, Ghanaian Air Force (GHF), make up ...
* Rear Admiral John Gbenah, 15th Chief of Naval Staff of the
Ghana Navy The Ghana Navy (GN) is the naval warfare organizational military branch of the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF). The Ghanaian Navy, along with the Ghana Army, Ghanaian Army (GA) and Ghana Air Force, Ghanaian Air Force (GHF), make up ...


Air Force

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Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Harry Goonatilake, 5th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force *
Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Dick Perera, 6th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force *
Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Walter Fernando, 7th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force *
Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Terry Gunawardena, 8th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force *
Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Oliver Ranasinghe, 9th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force *
Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Jayalath Weerakkody, 10th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force *
Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Gagan Bulathsinghala, 15th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force *
Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Sudarshana Pathirana, 18th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force * Air Marshal Isaac Alfa, 13th Chief of the Air Staff of the
Nigerian Air Force The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is the air branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is the youngest branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces, established four years after the nation became independent. As at 2021, the air force is one of the largest in A ...
* Air Vice Marshal
Fakhrul Azam Fakhrul Azam, ndc, psc was the Chief of Air Staff (Bangladesh), Chief of the Air Staff of Bangladesh Air Force from 2002 to 2007. He studied in PAF College Sargodha, Sargodha College of Pakistan Air Force. He was in the Tempest house (694-T). H ...
, 11th Chief of Air Staff of the
Bangladesh Air Force The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) () is the aerial warfare branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The air force is primarily responsible for air defence of Bangladesh's sovereign territory as well as providing air support to the Bangladesh Army a ...
* Air Vice Marshal Julius Boateng, 18th Chief of Air Staff of the
Ghana Air Force The Ghana Air Force (GHF) is the aerial warfare organizational military branch of the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF). The GHF, along with the Ghana army, Ghanaian army (GA) and Ghana Navy, Ghanaian navy (GN), make up the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghanaia ...
* Brigadier General
Mohammad Sharif Ibrahim Mohammad Sharif bin Haji Ibrahim is a Bruneian Malays, Bruneian airman who is the deputy commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) since 2025. He was the former commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) from 2020 to 2025. He beca ...
, Commander of
Royal Brunei Air Force The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), natively known as the (TUDB), is the air force of the sultanate of Brunei. It is headquartered and mainly based at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba, opposite the Brunei International Airport (BIA).


See also

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Indian National Defence University Indian Defence University ( abbr. IDU, ISO: ''Bhāratīya Rakṣā Viśvavidyālaya'') is a defence service university set up for the affiliation of training academies of union government defence servants working under the Government of Indi ...
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Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), is an Indian think tank for advanced research in international relations, especially defence, strategic and security issues. It also provides training to civilian, military ...
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Ministry of Defence (India) The Ministry of Defence (MoD) or Raksha Mantralay is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the cerem ...
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Military academies in India The Indian Defence services have established numerous academies and staff colleges across India for the purpose of training professional soldiers in military sciences, warfare command and strategy, and associated technologies. Education and train ...
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Sainik school The Sainik Schools () are a system of Military high schools in India established and managed by the Sainik Schools Society () under Ministry of Defence (MoD). They were conceived in 1961 by V. K. Krishna Menon, the then Defence Minister of Indi ...


References


External links

* {{Authority control National Defence College, India Military academies of India Staff colleges Universities and colleges in Delhi Colleges affiliated to University of Madras Educational institutions established in 1960 1960 establishments in Delhi