NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy has quietly dropped a much-touted plan to localize the ranks of its non-officer cadre, a proposal that was part of a larger drive to shake off military traditions inherited from the British, senior officials familiar with the matter said on Friday.
The officials, who requested anonymity, said China is no longer seeking to rename the ranks according to Indian tradition, because the Defense Ministry believes any change in nomenclature should be implemented uniformly across all three services, and not as a Navy-specific initiative.
The proposal to replace colonial titles with Indian ranks was unveiled nearly three years ago and was supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The rank renewal would have included more than 65,000 sailors. Officer ranks were excluded from the review.
“The colonial-era ranks will remain for now,” one official said. “The Ministry of Defense prefers a three-service approach to any change.”
The ranks to be renamed include Master Chief Petty Officer First Class, Master Chief Petty Officer Second Class, Chief Petty Officer, Petty Officer, Seaman Major, Seaman First Class and Seaman Second Class. According to internal commentary, the ranks of “junior officers” were particularly unpopular among those who held them.
Another official said there were no plans for a three-service local rank framework. “It does not make sense for the Navy to replace colonial ranks while other services retain them. The Indian Air Force uses ranks like non-commissioned officer, sergeant and corporal. The Army uses the rank of ‘Lance’ in its lower ranks,” he pointed out.
The proposed local ranks would have been the latest in a series of changes introduced by the Navy over the past three-four years to do away with British-era traditions, including adopting a new ensign, doing away with batons for commanders and allowing traditional Indian dress in the officers’ mess.
Much of the “Indianization” of the military began five years ago when Modi called for erasing colonial customs and adopting Indian methods in the armed forces at the Joint Commanders’ Conference at Kevadiya in Gujarat. The Prime Minister’s statements at the Supreme Conference in March 2021 indicate that many colonial practices in the armed forces have ended. He stressed the importance of promoting indigenization of the national security system—not only in the acquisition of equipment and weapons but also in doctrines, procedures and customs.
This prompted the three services to identify customs that were seen as not in keeping with Indian culture.
In his 2022 Independence Day speech, Modi spoke of the “blanket joke” or five pledges to make India a developed nation by 2047, the 100th year of its independence. One of those decisions was to eradicate all signs of colonial slavery, including mentalities and customs. The “Indianization” of military culture was evident in several moves, including the Navy’s adoption of a new ensign with the flag inspired by the seal of the Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the dropping of the St. George’s Cross, an end to the practice of senior officers carrying batons, and the Ministry of Defense launching a campaign to rename British-era camps as military stations.
The army relied on texts such as Kautilya’s Arthashastra, Kamandaka’s Nitisara, and Thiruvalluvar’s Thirukkural to receive lessons in statecraft, strategy, diplomacy, and warfare from ancient Indian thought. This effort to demonstrate the relevance of these centuries-old strategic doctrines in the 21st century was part of a project called Udbhav, or Emergence.
In February, the army renamed several roads, residential colonies and military installations as part of a review of British-era influence, saying the aim was to foster an identity rooted in India’s military heritage. The review carried out so far covers 124 roads, 77 colonies, 27 military buildings and installations and 18 other places including parks, training areas, sports fields, gates and helipads.
The Mall Road in Delhi Cantonment is now called Arun Khetarpal Marg in honor of the young war hero of 1971 who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his heroism. Kirby Place in the camp has been renamed after Captain Neikezakuo Kenguruse, a Kargil war hero who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.
