Defence & Internal Security of India
| Category / Domain | Organization / Entity | Key Details / Headquarters / Location | Primary Role / Status |
| Governance & Apex Control | Supreme Commander | President of India | Constitutional Head of Armed Forces |
| National Defence Responsibility | Union Cabinet (led by Prime Minister) | Ultimate Cabinet Responsibility | |
| Ministerial Responsibility | Ministry of Defence (MoD) | Executive & Financial Administration | |
| Departments of MoD (5 Total) | 1. Dept. of Defence (DoD) 2. Dept. of Military Affairs (DMA) 3. Dept. of Defence Production (DDP) 4. Dept. of Defence R&D (DRDO) 5. Dept. of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) | Administers military policy, acquisition, research, and veteran affairs | |
| Tri-Services Coordination | Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) | Chaired by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) (Replaced old rotating seniority system) | |
| Tri-Services Theatre Commands | Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) | Port Blair | India’s first operational Joint/Integrated Command |
| Strategic Forces Command (SFC) | New Delhi | Manages India’s nuclear arsenal & strategic assets | |
| Indian Army | Chief Title & HQ | Chief of the Army Staff (General) | New Delhi | Head of Land Operations |
| Western Command | Chandigarh | Operational | |
| Eastern Command | Kolkata | Operational | |
| Northern Command | Udhampur | Operational | |
| Southern Command | Pune | Operational | |
| Central Command | Lucknow | Operational | |
| South-Western Command | Jaipur | Operational | |
| Training Command (ARTRAC) | Shimla | Doctrine & Training | |
| Indian Navy | Chief Title & HQ | Chief of the Naval Staff (Admiral) | New Delhi | Head of Maritime Operations |
| Western Naval Command | Mumbai | Operational | |
| Eastern Naval Command | Visakhapatnam | Operational | |
| Southern Naval Command | Kochi | Training & Support | |
| Indian Air Force | Chief Title & HQ | Chief of the Air Staff (Air Chief Marshal) | New Delhi | Head of Aerial Operations |
| Western Air Command | New Delhi | Operational | |
| Eastern Air Command | Shillong | Operational | |
| Central Air Command | Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) | Operational | |
| Southern Air Command | Thiruvananthapuram | Operational | |
| South-Western Air Command | Gandhinagar | Operational | |
| Training Command | Bengaluru | Functional | |
| Maintenance Command | Nagpur | Functional | |
| Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) & Internal Security | Border Security Force (BSF) | New Delhi (MoHA) | Guards Pakistan & Bangladesh Borders |
| Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) | New Delhi (MoHA) | Internal security, counter-insurgency, anti-Naxal ops | |
| Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) | New Delhi (MoHA) | Critical infrastructure, airports, industrial units | |
| Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) | New Delhi (MoHA) | Guards China (LADAKH to Arunachal) Border | |
| Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) | New Delhi (MoHA) | Guards Nepal & Bhutan Borders | |
| National Security Guard (NSG) | Manesar, Haryana / New Delhi (MoHA) | Anti-terrorism & VIP security force | |
| Assam Rifles (AR) | Shillong (MoD / MoHA) | Indo-Myanmar Border & North-East Security | |
| Indian Coast Guard (ICG) | New Delhi (MoD) | Maritime law enforcement & coastal security | |
| Major Defence Training Establishments | National Defence Academy (NDA) | Khadakwasla, Pune | Joint tri-services cadet training |
| Indian Military Academy (IMA) | Dehradun | Army officer cadet commissioning academy | |
| Indian Naval Academy (INA) | Ezhimala, Kerala | Naval officer commissioning academy | |
| Air Force Academy (AFA) | Dundigal, Hyderabad | Air Force officer commissioning academy | |
| Officers Training Academy (OTA) | Chennai & Gaya | Short Service Commission officer training | |
| Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) | Wellington, Tamil Nadu | Staff training for officers of all three services | |
| National Defence College (NDC) | New Delhi | Strategic studies for senior military/civil officers | |
| College of Defence Management (CDM) | Secunderabad | Management education for military officers | |
| Rank Structure (Highest to Lowest) | Level 1 (4-Star) | Army: General | Air Force: Air Chief Marshal | Navy: Admiral | |
| Level 2 | Army: Lieutenant General | Air Force: Air Marshal | Navy: Vice Admiral | ||
| Level 3 | Army: Major General | Air Force: Air Vice Marshal | Navy: Rear Admiral | ||
| Level 4 | Army: Brigadier | Air Force: Air Commodore | Navy: Commodore | ||
| Level 5 | Army: Colonel | Air Force: Group Captain | Navy: Captain | ||
| Level 6 | Army: Lieutenant Colonel | Air Force: Wing Commander | Navy: Commander | ||
| Level 7 | Army: Major | Air Force: Squadron Leader | Navy: Lieutenant Commander | ||
| Level 8 | Army: Captain | Air Force: Flight Lieutenant | Navy: Lieutenant | ||
| Level 9 | Army: Lieutenant | Air Force: Flying Officer | Navy: Sub-Lieutenant |