Decoding the Badges

Decoding Indian Armed Force Soldiers's wide assortment of insignia, ribbons, medals, badges, tabs and patches.

Air Warrior Drill Team "Arjan" 

Aviation Specialisation Badge 

Drone Pilot Wings

Microlight Flying Wings

Reconnaissance & Support (R&S) Sleeve Patch

Dolphin Badge 

MARCOS Badge & Diver's Badge

Indian Navy Surface Warfare Badge

Indian Navy Observer Wings

Indian Navy Pilot's Wings

Air Traffic Controller  Badge

Electronic System Operators (Aircrew) Wing

Flight Engineer's Wing

Flight Gunner's Wing

Navigator Wing

Parachutist Wings  / Parachute Qualification Wings

Parachute Jump Instructor Wing

Pilot’s Wings

Attack Helicopter Proficiency Badge

Aircrewmen Wings / SAR Diver Wings

Sniper's Badge

Skydiver Patch

Paramotor Pilot Patch & Coveted Commando Dagger Badge

Paramotor Pilot Patch

Selected soldiers from Parachute Regiment consists of PARA (Airborne) and PARA (SF) Battalions undergo specialized training for paramotor flying. The soldiers who pass and qualified are awarded with Paramotor Pilot Patch. These soldiers will be part of 50 (I) Para Brigade, (pathfinders) en masse using Paramotors.

Coveted Commando Dagger Badge

The physically robust infantry soldiers who reflect his performance at the ‘Ghatak Course, where awarded ‘Commando Dagger’. It is mandatory for all infantry officers to pass the Commando Training Course. This badge qualifies the soldier as commando school instructor.

NSG SAG EOD & SRG EOD

The NSG is divided into two groups - the Special Action Group (SAG) and the Special Rangers Group (SRG). 

The SAG, which comprises 54% of the force, is the elite, offensive wing with members drawn from the Indian Army.

The SRG, on the other hand, has members on deputation from central police organisations like the Border Security Force (BSF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Rapid Action Force (RAF). The primary function of the SRG is to play a supportive role to the SAF, especially in isolating target areas.

But there is one group called 26 Special Composite Group (26 SCG) in which commandos of both SAG & SRG commandos operate together. It is a specialised group in which commandos from both groups carry our Operations & tasks together.

Note : SAG badge which is trident with wings is made same for all NSG members recently. Now they all wear the same badge.

Major General MS Ghura, VSM, Commandant, Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS), Vairengte

Decoding the Badges of Indian Armed Forces 

Army Marksmanship Unit

Indian Army Sharpshooter Badge aka Shooting Instructor Qualified 

The Army Marksmanship Unit trains soldiers for sports shooting as well as military shooting. Who qualifies the course with high points for example out of 40 targets you must shoot 35/35+ to earn the sharpshooter badge. This badges qualifies the soldier as combat shooting instructor.

Qualified Mountaineer Instructor

Qualified Mountaineer Instructor / Qualified Mountaineer (Climb Leader) 

Awarded for the soldiers who reflect his/her performance at the Mountaineering course were awarded Qualified Mountaineer Instructor / Qualified Mountaineer (Climb Leader). This badge can be seen with blue background also.

Army Markmanship Unit (AMU) Badge

Army Markmanship Unit (AMU) Badge

Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) part of Infantry School which trains soldiers to become into a deadly sniper also trains them compete and win in marksmanship competitions. Soldiers who represented India in shooting competitions wear AMU badge with India written on it.

Arjuna Award

Awarded for outstanding individual achievements in National Sports. Arjuna Awards are given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in sports.

In Pic - Hon. Captain Subedar Major Vijay Kumar Sharma AVSM, SM (Now)

MARCOS Badge & Sleeve Patch

MARCOS Sleeve Patch 

MARCOS Sleeve Patch is authorized and awarded for soldiers of the Indian Navy Marine Commando, equivalent to the Special Forces shoulder tab/patch of Para SF.

MARCOS Badge 

MARCOS Badge earned after successful completion of the probation. Getting selected to be trained as a MARCO itself is difficult. The pre-training procedure, which includes a three-day physical fitness and aptitude test, sees almost 80% applicants being screened out. And it gets worse. A five-week-long ‘hell’s week’ follows this, which includes sleep deprivation and intense physical training. Those that make it through, or don’t quit on their own, actually proceed to the actual training.

 Combat Free Fall Badge

Combat Free Fall Badge 

Earned after combat free fall course, 50 jumps from 33,500 feet (10,200 metres) learning both HAHO (High altitude high opening) and HALO (High altitude low opening) jumps from PTS, Agra.

Army Commendation Badge 

Indian Army Commendation Badge 

Army Commendation (the term “Army” encompasses all GOsC-in-C, ARTRAC and VCOAS with respect to award of Commendation Badges) is awarded to any member, other than General Officers, of the Armed Forces that distinguishes himself or herself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service.

Special Forces Tab 

Special Forces Tab  

The Special Forces shoulder tab/patch, originally approved in 2006 succeeding the "COMMANDO" tab/patch, is authorized and awarded for soldiers of the Indian Army Para Special Forces after the successful completion of grueling probationary period.

Balidaan Badge

Balidaan Badge 

This badge is worn by the Indian Army's Para Special Forces. Balidaan Badge is earned by just 4-5 volunteers out of selected 100. You really have to be the best to earn it. The Balidaan Badge is only for SF badged members. This includes doctors posted in the unit and has completed probation and service requirements. It is also awarded for first confirmed kill.

 50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade & CFF Badge

50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade

50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade comes directly under DGMO Indian Army and can be put into action in less then 2 hours.

The Special Forces (Airborne) units in rotation form part of the parachute brigade alternatively serving their field tenures in counter-insurgency/high altitude areas. One of the eight SF battalions too serves in the brigade on rotation. One of the two field regiments (9 Para Fd Regt and 17 Para Fd Regt) also forms part of the brigade while the other serves out its field tenure on rotation.

Combat Free Fall 

Earned after combat free fall course, 50 jumps from 33,500 ~ ft learning both HAHO (High altitude high opening) and HALO (High altitude low opening) jumps.

Parachutist Badge aka Para Jump Wings

Parachutist Badge aka Para Jump Wings

A Parachutist Badge / Para Jump Wings / Paratrooper Wing is earned by the soldier he/she after the successful completion of Parachute Basic Course from Paratroopers Training School, Agra . This wings was formerly worn on the upper right sleeve but since, 1975 appears above the right chest pocket and name tab.

Black Cat Sleeve Patch

Black Cat Sleeve Patch

Black Cats are the commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG). They are called to undertake proactive operations in defeating terrorist threats beyond the capability of India’s other police forces. The units of the force wear an arm patch with the head of a black cat on it. Since the units of the Force are the ones most visible to the public, the term ‘Black Cat Commandos’ has over a period of time colloquially been applied to the complete NSG.

Commando Sleeve Tab

The “Commando Sleeve Tab” can be seen worn on the sleeves of NSG Commandos (Like Para Commandos wear Special Force tab) . 

NSG SAG Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge (EOD Basic) 

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge (EOD Basic) 

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge of the United States Armed Forces which recognizes those service members, qualified as explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians, who are specially trained to deal with the construction, deployment, disarmament, and disposal of high explosive munitions.

National Security Guard Special Action Group Badge (NSG SAG)  

The SAG Badge of NSG recognizes those service members of Special Action Group. Its members are drawn exclusively from the Indian Army. They are the main offensive or the strike wing of the NSG. Special Action Group's mission is part of the NSG's overall mission to neutralize specific terrorist threats in vital installations or any given area, handle hijack situations involving piracy in the air and on the land, engage and neutralize terrorists in specific situations, and to rescue hostages in kidnap situations.

Diving Badge

Diving Badge

It depicts a soldier is qualified to dive with fully geared with combat load and ready to undertake specialized underwater ops. As a diver having endurance, strength and stamina he is also skilled in various weapons, explosives and equipment for specialized underwater ops and as saboteur.

Sky Marshal Badge

Sky Marshal Badge

A counter-terrorist agent on board a commercial aircraft to counter aircraft hijackings. They are deployed in high risk international aircrafts such as the ones flying to places like Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Kazakhstan etc. Apart from that they are also deployed in domestic flights to places like between metro cities, J&K and the NE States. The Sky Marshals are usually appointed on deputation for a period of 2 years from the National Security Guard (NSG) - Special Action Group (SAG).

The Sky Marshals are appointed based on the Risk associated with a flight.

- International Flight(s)
One NSG Officer flying in business class
One/Two NSG NCO flying in economy class

- Domestic Flight(s)
Usually taken care of by the NSG NCOs appointed in each flight.

SKY Marshals are authorised to carry the following on Duty (while flying)

1. Glock 19 or Glock 26 chambered with 9mm hollow point cartridge
2. Taser
3. Pepper Spray
4. A dagger
5. Plastic Handcuffs 

Jump Indicator Wings

Jump Indicator Wings

A brass badge with stars at the bottom of the parachute with wings, with 1 star denoting 25 jumps, 2 stars 50 and 3 stars 100.

Tank fired ATGM Qualified

Gun-launched Missiles Firing Qualified aka Tank fired ATGM Qualified

The batch is awarded for those who are qualified on Gun-launched Missile courses and are instructors on the subject. (Firing the ATGM like 9K112 Kobra from MBT like T-90/Arjun)

ATGM Firing Qualified(Battalion Support Weapon Course)

ATGM Firing Qualified (Battalion Support Weapon Course)

This badge indicates that the soldier is qualified to fire Anti-Tank Guided Missiles. This badge is earned after completion of Battalion Support Weapon Course. This qualifies the operator to fire ATGM and destroy Tanks, Armoured Vehicles and Bunkers using Guided Weapons. There are different types of missile badges worn by Indian Army Mechanised Infantry and Infantry.

(In the above pic you can see two different types of ATGM firing qualified Badges. (Konkurs and MILAN ATGM Badges))

Indian Coast Guard Cutterman Officer Badge 

Indian Coast Guard Observer Badge

Indian Coast Guard Pilot's Badge

Picture credit goes to their respective owners...

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