He was promoted to the acting rank of General when he took over as the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army on 15 January 1949.

Until 1 January 2020, when the post of Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) was established, the COAS was the only officer to hold the rank of full general.

[3] The rank insignia of a general are: The gorget patches of a general are: Appointments to the office of CDS and COAS are made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), which is chaired by the Prime Minister of India.

The term length of the Chief of Defence Staff is three years or until the age of 65 of the holder, whichever is earlier.

[5] The Chief of the Army Staff reaches superannuation upon three years in the office or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.