They are responsible for the administration of the Indian Ordnance Factories, which provide the indigenous defence production capabilities of India.

IOFS is a multi-disciplinary composite cadre consisting of technical – engineers (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Electronics), technologists (Aerospace, Automotive, Marine, Industrial/Product design, Computer, Nuclear, Optical, Chemical, Metallurgical, Textile, leather) and non-technical/administrative (Science, Law, Commerce, Management and Arts graduates).

IOFHS officers are selected through the Combined Medical Services Examination, conducted by UPSC.

[24] National Academy of Defence Production (NADP), Nagpur, provides training to the IOFS officers in areas of technology, management, public administration as induction and re-orientation courses.

The induction training programme of probationary officers is of 64 weeks, comprising technical, managerial and administrative modules of theoretical, practical and field nature.

To understand the nuances of bureaucracy, they are familiarised with the functioning of district, state, national and international bodies, including the Parliament of India.

[25] IOFS officers are allowed to continue their higher studies at various national institutions such as the IITs, IIMs, IISc, NITs, NITIE, NDC, DSSC and DIAT, under the sponsored category.

[29][30][31][32] The officers are sent to countries which have friendly relations with India, such as the countries of erstwhile USSR, United States, UK, Sweden, Japan, Austria, Germany, Russia, France, Israel, Canada, Czech Republic, South Korea, Singapore etc.

In discharging these functions, the IOFS officers interact extensively with: IOFS is a participating civil service under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS), which allows bureaucrats to move to any organisation, commission, institution, agency, department, ministry of the Government of India and the state governments,[47][48][49] on deputation basis (excluding posts which are specifically encadred within the organised Group A services), depending on their interests, educational qualifications, seniority, age and other eligibility criteria.

[50][51][52] IOFS officers also serve at board-level posts of PSUs and SEZs;[53][54][55][56] as advisors and secretaries to the Union Cabinet Ministers, Prime Minister and the President of India;[57][58][59] as diplomats at various consulates, missions and embassies of India, located abroad;[60][61][62] as scientists in DRDO; as commissioned officers in the Indian Armed Forces;[63] in the Central Armed Police Forces,[64][65] in intelligence agencies such as RAW, NATGRID, etc.