| Post: | Chief of the General Staff |
| Department: | British Indian Army Indian Army |
| Reports To: | Commander-in-Chief, India |
| Seat: | GHQ India |
| Termlength: | No fixed term |
| Formation: | March 1906 |
| First: | Lieutenant general Sir Beauchamp Duff (British Indian Army) |
| Last: | Lieutenant General Moti Sagar (Indian Army) |
| Abolished: | January 1965 |
| Succession: | Vice Chief of the Army Staff in 1965 |
| Abbreviation: | CGS |
The Chief of the General Staff, India was a senior military commander in the British Indian Army from 1906 to 1947, and in the independent Indian Army from 1947 until 1965.
During British rule, the Chief of the General Staff, India assisted the Commander-in-Chief, India in commanding the British Indian Army. The post was largely honorary as all power resided in the hands of Commander-in-Chief, India.[1] After Indian independence in 1947, the CGS remained a senior staff appointment. In January 1959, the appointment of Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (DCOAS) was established as the deputy commander of the Indian Army until it was superseded by the new post of Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) In January 1965. Subsequently, the post of VCOAS replaced the CGS.[2]
Holders of the post have been:[3]
| S.No | Name | Regiment of commission | Assumed office | Left office | References | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rajput Regiment | August 1947 | November 1947 | [4] | Later became first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. | |
| Major General Pran Nath Thapar | 1st Punjab Regiment | December 1947 | February 1948 | [5] | Officiating Chief of the General Staff. Later served as Chief of the Army Staff. | |
| Major General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri | 7th Light Cavalry | February 1948 | May 1948 | [6] | Officiating. Later served as Chief of the Army Staff. | |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Kalwant Singh | 1st Punjab Regiment | May 1948 | March 1950 | [7] [8] | Later served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command. |
| 3 | Major General S. P. P. Thorat, | 14th Punjab Regiment | 3 April 1950 | January 1953 | [9] [10] | Later served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command. |
| 4 | 7th Light Cavalry | 29 September 1953 | December 1955 | [11] [12] [13] | Later served as Chief of the Army Staff. | |
| 5 | Major General Mohinder Singh Wadalia | Kumaon Regiment | December 1955 | May 1957 | [14] [15] [16] | |
| 6 | Lieutenant General Shiv Dev Verma | 16th Light Cavalry | May 1957 | February 1959 | [17] [18] | |
| 7 | Baloch Regiment | February 1959 | 8 May 1961 | Later served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command. | ||
| 8 | Rajputana Rifles | 8 May 1961 | 4 October 1962 | [19] [20] | ||
| 9 | Lieutenant General Moti Sagar | 4th Gorkha Rifles | 4 October 1962 | 15 January 1965 | [21] [22] | |