If you aspire to serve in the Indian Army as an officer, you must clear the SSB interview. Many candidates try to practice the perfect responses and mug up current affairs but miss out on a key detail: service knowledge. Hence, we bring to you some basic Indian Army questions for SSB personal interview that you must know of.
Need for Service Knowledge
Let us assume that you want to buy a new smartphone. For this, you read in detail about the product and its specifications because you are investing in it. Similarly, when you are about to invest your life in a new career, knowing about it is essential.
Many candidates appear for the SSB interview without knowing anything about their choice of service. Therefore, they are unable to answer any of the Indian Army questions for SSB that are asked by the interviewing officer. This raises doubts about their seriousness for the career.
Indian Army Questions for SSB
Here is a list of Indian Army questions for SSB personal interview, along with their answers. You may delve into more such details along the same lines.
Basic Indian Army questions for SSB
We start with the basics about the Indian Army questions for SSB, which form a solid foundation for all freshers.
Q1. What is the insignia/ensign of the Indian Army?
The insignia of the Indian Army is a red flag with two golden swords crossing each other. Above the swords there lies the National Emblem of India, the Lion Capital of Ashoka, in golden colour at the centre.
Q2. When was the Indian Army founded?
The Indian Army was founded on 26 January 1950, however, it operated as the British Indian Army since 1 April 1895.
Q3. When is Army Day celebrated and why?
The Indian Army Day is celebrated every year on 15 January, because on this day in 1949, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa assumed the charge as the first Indian Commanding Officer-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Bucher.
Q4. What is the motto of the Indian Army?
The motto is “Seva Parmo Dharma”, that is, Service Before Self.
Q5. What is the world ranking of the Indian Armed Forces?
The Indian Armed Forces are the fourth strongest military in the world as per the Global Firepower Index, only after the United States, Russia, and China.
Important appointments
The interviewing officer may also ask you of important appointments or rank-holders as part of the Indian Army questions in SSB to test your general awareness.
Q6. Who is the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS)?
A. The CoAS as of July 2026 is General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM. He is the 31st Indian Army chief.
Q7. Who is the Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCoAS)?
A. The 50th VCoAS as of July 2026 is Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain, AVSM, SM.
Q8. Who are the two Field Marshals of the Indian Army?
A. The two Indian Army Field Marshals are Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw, MC (first) and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, OBE.
Organizational structure
The organizational structure of the forces is a detail you cannot miss. Hence, it occupies an important place in the list of Indian Army questions for SSB.
Q9. What is the organizational structure of the Indian Army?
A. The organizational structure is as follows:
Q10. What are the commands of the Indian Army?
A. The Indian Army comprises seven commands, out of which six are operational and one is training command:
- Northern Command, Udhampur, J&K
- Eastern Command, Kolkata, West Bengal
- Southern Command, Pune, Maharastra
- South-Western Command, Jaipur, Rajasthan
- Western Command, Chandimandir, Haryana
- Central Command, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
- Army Training Command (ARTRAC), Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
Q11. What is the rank structure of the Indian Army?
A. Indian Army’s rank structure is divided into three parts: the non-commissioned officers/other ranks (NCO/OR), junior commissioned officers (JCOs), and commissioned officers.
Q12. Where are officers trained after clearing the SSB interview?
A. The pre-commissioning training happens at select academies of the Indian Army:
- Indian Military Academy, Dehradun
- National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla
- Officers Training Academy, Chennai
- Officers Training Academy, Gaya
- CME, Pune
- MCTE, Mhow
- MCEME, Secunderabad
Indian Army questions for SSB: Weapons used
When we think of the army, a soldier carrying a weapon naturally comes to our minds. If you are opting for infantry, or a related arm, you must know answers to these Indian Army questions for SSB.
Q13. Name some tanks used by the Indian Army.
A. The Indian Army’s Armoured Corps uses tanks such as the Arjun MBT (Main Battle Tank), T-90 Bhishma, and T-72 Ajeya among others.
Q14. Name some guns of the Indian Army.
A. The guns used by the Indian Army are of different kinds:
- Assault Rifles: INSAS, AK 203, Tavor 21, and M16A2
- Sniper Rifles: Vidhwansak, Dragunov, and Barrett M95
- Machine Guns: INSAS LMG, Browning M2, and PKM.
- Sub-machine Guns: MP5 for close combat
Q15. What is the difference between a howitzer and a field gun?
A. A howitzer is an artillery gun used in mountains due to its high trajectory angle, which resembles a parabola. Its examples include the M777, and Bofors. A field gun, on the other hand, is more prevalent in the plains, where direct fire is needed. For example, the M46 Sharang is a field gun.
Indian Army Questions for SSB: Final Thoughts
These 15 questions are a must-know for Army SSBs for all candidates. In fact, they can be asked in the SSBs of other services as well. Candidates should read in detail about their choice of arm (infantry, mechanized infantry, artillery) and service (AAD, JAG) in-depth for a positive impression.
