Indian Army is regarded as one of the strongest armies in the world. It is the 3rd largest army in the world and has the largest volunteered armed force. To effectively manage such a large force, army has its own structure and formations. Below are the basic field formations of the Indian Army:
Corps: Each Corps is commanded by a GOC (Corps Commander) in the rank of Lieutenant General.It is composed of 3-4 Divisions.
Division: Each Division is headed by GOC (Division Commander) in the rank of Major General.It usually consists of 3 to 4 Brigades.
Brigade: A Brigade consists of around 3,000 combat troops with supporting elements. An Infantry Brigade usually has 3 Infantry Battalions along with various Support Elements.It is commanded by a brigade commander who is a Brigadier, equivalent to a Brigadier General in some armies.
Battalion: It consists of four rifle companies. Commanded by a battalion commander who is of Colonel Rank and is the Infantry’s main fighting unit. Every infantry battalion also possesses one Ghatak Platoon.
Company: It consists of three platoons. Commanded by a Company Commander who is a Major or Lieutenant-Colonel.
Platoon: It is composed of three sections.Commanded by a Platoon Commander who is a JCO.
Section: Smallest military outfit with a strength of 10 personnel. Commanded by a Section Commander of the rank of Havildar.