Police ranks and insignia of India

State/UT Armed Police Cadre

• Leadership positions of State Armed Police are typically held by officers from the Indian Police Service (IPS) cadre. Their hierarchy includes DIG, IGP, ADGP, and DGP – same as in civil police
• Rank titles and designations vary across Indian states. The rank of '''Lance Naik''' is **not present in all states** and may be found only in select armed battalions or paramilitary-pattern forces.

More information Gazetted Officers, Non-Gazetted Officers (NCOs) and Enlisted Ranks ...

State Armed Police Cadre Rank Structure

Gazetted Officers
Commandant	Deputy Commandant / Second-In Command	Assistant Commandant / Company Commander
Equivalent: Superintendent of Police	Equivalent: Additional superintendent of police	Equivalent: Deputy superintendent of police
Non-Gazetted Officers (NCOs) and Enlisted Ranks
					No Insignia
Inspector (Armed) / Platoon Commander	Sub-Inspector (Armed) / Section Commander	Assistant Sub-Inspector (Armed)	Head Constable / Havildar	Lance Naik/Naik (Intermediate rank)	Armed Police Constable/Rifleman
Equivalent: Inspector	Equivalent: Sub-Inspector	Equivalent: Assistant sub-Inspector	Equivalent: Head constable	Equivalent: None (intermediate post; varies by state)	Constable

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Overview

Law enforcement in India is a state subject, and police organisation varies across states, though a general structure is followed nationwide.

Flags and stars on official cars of senior IPS officers.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs oversees internal security and border management in India and act as the cadre-controlling authority of the Indian Police Service (IPS). The Ministry is administratively headed by the Home Secretary, a senior IAS officer. IPS officers are recruited either through the national Civil Services Examination or by promotion from State Police Services after state-level selection. The Indian Police Service cadre officers provide leadership to law enforcement and security agencies at both state and federal level.

Each state’s Home Department handles law and order, internal security, and police administration. It is headed by a Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary to Government, who supervises administration of state police, prisons department, prosecution department, criminal investigation and related agencies.

State police structure

Every state police force is headed by a Director General of Police (DGP), assisted by Special or Additional Directors General of Police for key divisions like Law & Order, Crimes, Intelligence, Traning, etc. Large forces are divided into police zones, ranges, and districts, while metropolitan areas function under the Commissionerate system.

Commissionerates are led by a Commissioner of Police (CP), assisted by Joint and Deputy Commissioners. In larger metropolitan areas the Commissioner is a higher ranked IPS officer. A Commissioner of Police is typically an officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector General or above; the exact rank is determined by the state government based on requirements. In non-metropolitan areas, the district police system, headed by District Superintendent of Police (SP) operates in coordination with the district administration, particularly the District Magistrate.

Outside commissionerates, the hierarchy generally follows:

• Law & Order command: Additional Director General (ADGP)
• Zone: ADG/IGP
• Range: IG/DIG
• District: SP/SSP
• Subdivision: DSP/Asst.SP (SDPO or Circle Officer)
• Police Station: Inspector or Sub-Inspector (SHO)

In some states, police circles exist between subdivisions and police stations, headed by an Inspector designated as a Circle Inspector. A Circle Inspector supervises multiple police stations within the circle, and multiple police circles together constitute a police subdivision, which is headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police or Assistant Commissioner of Police.

A police station is the basic law enforcement unit of the state police, responsible for law and order, crime prevention and investigation, traffic management, and patrolling. It is headed by a Station House Officer (SHO), usually of Inspector or Sub-Inspector rank, and staffed by Sub-Inspectors, Assistant Sub-Inspectors, Head Constables, and Constables.^[2]