The 83rd Group Army is one of thirteen total group armies of the PLAGF, the largest echelon of ground forces in the People's Republic of China, and one of three assigned to the nation's Central Theater Command.

In 1962, it participated in the Sino-Indian War of 1962, and the 130th Division defeated the 11th Infantry Brigade of the Indian Army in the Battle of Walong.

The commander of the 127th Division at that time was Zhang Wannian, who was later the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Troops from the army were deployed into Beijing in June 1989 and participated in the anti-protester clearance operations.

In February 2016, the seven military regions were reorganized into five theater commands, as part of the 2015 People's Republic of China military reform,[4] 54th Army belongs to Central Theater Command.