Admiral (India)
Admiral is a four-star naval flag officer rank in the Indian Navy. It is the highest active rank in the Indian Navy. Admiral ranks above the three-star rank of vice admiral and below the five-star rank of admiral of the fleet, which has never been awarded or held.
| Admiral | |
|---|---|
Flag of Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy | |
| Shoulder and sleeve stripes of an admiral in the Indian Navy | |
Star insignia of an admiral in the Indian Navy | |
| Country | India |
| Service branch | Indian Navy |
| Abbreviation | Adm |
| Rank | Four-star rank |
| Next higher rank | Admiral of the fleet |
| Next lower rank | Vice admiral |
| Equivalent ranks | General (Indian Army) Air chief marshal (Indian Air Force) |
An admiral may be referred to as a full admiral or four-star admiral to distinguish them from lower flag officer ranks like vice admiral and rear admiral.
The rank is held by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), the professional head of the Indian Navy, since 1968. The rank may also be held by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) if the holder is a serving Indian Navy flag officer. Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji was the first Indian officer to hold the rank of full admiral. The current Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) and only full admiral in the Indian Armed Forces is Admiral R. Hari Kumar.
The equivalent rank in the Indian Army is general and in the Indian Air Force is air chief marshal.