Commander-in-Chief, India
Longest serving GeneralThe Earl of Moira October 1813 – January 1823
British Indian Army
Status	Senior-mostofficer of theIndian Army
Reports to	Governor-General of India
Residence	Flagstaff House
Seat	GHQ India
Term length	No fixed term
First holder	Major generalStringer Lawrence[citation needed]
Final holder	FMSir Claude Auchinleck
Abolished	15 August 1947
Succession	Commanders-in-Chief of the Indian Army andPakistan Army
Unofficial names	Commander-in-Chiefin orof India

During the period of theCompany andCrown rule inIndia, theCommander-in-Chief, India (often "Commander-in-Chiefin orof India") was the supreme commander of theIndian Army from 1833 to 1947. TheCommander-in-Chief and most of hisstaff were based atGHQ India, and liaised with the civilianGovernor-General of India. Following thePartition of India in 1947 and the creation of the independent dominions ofIndia andPakistan, the post was abolished. It was briefly replaced by the position of Supreme Commander of India and Pakistan before the role was abolished in November 1948.^[1] Subsequently, the role of Commander-in-Chief was merged into the offices of the Commanders-in-Chief of the independentIndian Army andPakistan Army, respectively, before becoming part of the office of thePresident of India from 1950 and of theCommander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army from 1947.

Prior to independence, the official residence was theFlagstaff House, which later became the residence of thefirst Prime Minister of India; asTeen Murti Bhavan (Teen Murti House), it is now a museum.

This is a list of people who were the military Commander-in-Chief, India until 1947. The rank and title are the final ones for the officer's career and not necessarily applicable to his tenure as Commander-in-Chief in India.

P.R. Cadell wrote an article correcting and elaborating on the early commanders-in-chief of theEast India Company's forces in theJournal of the Society for Army Historical Research in 1944.^[2]

Commanders-in-Chief have been:^[3]

† denotes people who died in office.

No.	Portrait	Commander-in-Chief	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Notes
1		Craig, JamesGeneral Sir James Craig (1748–1812)	February 1801	March 1801	1 month	Officiating.
2		Lake, GeraldGeneral Gerard Lake (1744–1808)	March 1801	July 1805	4 years, 4 months	Conducted a campaign with a string of victories that gave the British control of Northern India, Delhi and the Mughal emperor but failed to take Bhurtpore. Improved the Indian Army by making all arms, infantry, cavalry and artillery, more mobile and more manageable.
3		Cornwallis, CharlesGeneral The Earl Cornwallis (1738–1805)	July 1805	October 1805	3 months	Reappointment. WithSir Arthur Wellesley, he supervised theSecond Anglo-Maratha War against theSindhia and theHolkar.
(2)		Lake, GeraldGeneral The Lord Lake (1744–1808)	October 1805	1806	0–1 years	Reappointment following the death of Cornwallis' successorJohn Graves Simcoe. Upon Cornwallis' death, Lake pursued theHolkar to thePunjab. The Holkar capitulated atAmritsar in December 1805.
4		Simcoe, JohnGeneral John Simcoe (1752–1806)	1806	26 October 1806 †	0 years	Appointed to post inEngland in late 1805, but died before departing for India and replaced by Lake.
(2)		Lake, GeraldGeneral The Lord Lake (1744–1808)	1806	October 1807	0–1 years	Reappointment following death ofJohn Simcoe, who died after accepting the appointment in England.
5		Hewett, GeorgeGeneral Sir George Hewett (1750–1840)	October 1807	December 1807	2 months	TransformedMeerut into a British stronghold that became a launching point for future military campaigns into northern India.
6		Champagné, ForbesLieutenant general Forbes Champagné (1754–1816)	December 1807	January 1811	3 years, 1 month	Officiating.
7		Nugent, GeorgeField Marshal Sir George Nugent (1757–1849)	January 1811	October 1813	2 years, 9 months	–
8		Hastings, FrancisGeneral The Earl of Moira (1754–1826)	October 1813	January 1823	9 years, 3 months	1st Marquess of Hastings from 1816; Oversaw British forces in theGurkha War;conquered theMarathas; repaired theMogul canals inDelhi; instituted educational reforms.
9		Paget, EdwardGeneral Sir Edward Paget (1775–1849)	January 1823	October 1825	2 years, 9 months	–
10		Cotton, StapletonField Marshal The Lord Combermere (1773–1865)	October 1825	January 1830	4 years, 3 months	1st Viscount Combermere from 1827. Captured Bhurtpore (which Lake had failed to do) in 1824.
11		Ramsay, GeorgeGeneral The Earl of Dalhousie (1770–1838)	January 1830	January 1832	2 years	Began the British suppression of theThuggee murder-cults.
12		Barnes, EdwardLieutenant general Sir Edward Barnes (1776–1838)	January 1832	October 1833	1 year, 9 months	Constructed the military road betweenColombo andKandy, made the first census of the population, and introduced coffee cultivation.
13		Bentinck, WilliamGeneral Lord William Bentinck (1774–1839)	October 1833	March 1835	1 year, 5 months	Suppressed theHindu custom ofsati. Reappointed in April 1834.
14		Watson, JamesGeneral Sir James Watson (1772–1862)	March 1835	September 1835	6 months	Established the famous police organisation known as the "Thuggee andDacoity Department" within theGovernment of India.
15		Fane, HenryGeneral Sir Henry Fane (1778–1840)	September 1835	December 1839	4 years, 3 months	–
16		Nicholls, JasperGeneral Sir Jasper Nicolls (1778–1849)	December 1839	August 1843	3 years, 8 months	Officiating.
17		Gough, HughField Marshal Hugh Gough (1779–1869)	August 1843	May 1849	5 years, 9 months	1st Baron Gough from 1846; Defeated theMahrattas atMaharajpur. Conducted operations against theSikhs and won the battles ofMudki,Ferozeshah andSobraon. Soon after, the Sikhs surrendered atLahore.
18		Napier, CharlesGeneral Sir Charles James Napier (1782–1853)	May 1849	December 1851	2 years, 7 months	ConqueredSindh and made it part ofBombay Presidency.
19		Gomm, WilliamField Marshal Sir William Gomm (1784–1875)	December 1851	January 1856	4 years, 1 month	–
20		Anson, GeorgeMajor general George Anson (1797–1857)	January 1856	27 May 1857 †	1 year, 4 months	Outbreak of theIndian Rebellion of 1857. Died of cholera during his march against theIndian Rebellion atDelhi.
21		Grant, PatrickLieutenant general Sir Patrick Grant (1804–1895)	June 1857	August 1857	2 months	Directed operations against theIndian Rebellion, sending forces underHavelock andOutram for the relief ofCawnpore andLucknow, until the arrival ofSir Colin Campbell from England.
22		Campbell, ColinGeneral Sir Colin Campbell (1792–1863)	August 1857	4 June 1861	3 years, 10 months	1st Baron Clyde from 1858; Abandoned then recapturedLucknow. Supervised military operations inOudh until theIndian Rebellion had been subdued.

No.	Portrait	Commander-in-Chief	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Notes
1		Rose, HughLieutenant general Sir Hugh Rose (1801–1885)	4 June 1861	23 March 1865	3 years, 292 days	Improved discipline and enabled the amalgamation of theEast India Company's army into the Queen's army to be carried out.
2		Mansfield, WilliamGeneral Sir William Mansfield (1819–1876)	23 March 1865	9 April 1870	5 years, 17 days	Prior to his appointment, Mansfield served in theSutlej campaign, commanded the 53rd Regiment in thePunjab, and was part ofPeshawar operations in thenorthwest frontier.
3		Napier, RobertGeneral The Lord Napier of Magdala (1810–1890)	9 April 1870	10 April 1876	6 years, 1 day	He did much to benefit the army and to encourage good shooting.
4		Haines, FrederickGeneral Sir Frederick Haines (1819–1909)	10 April 1876	8 April 1881	4 years, 363 days	–
5		Stewart, DonaldGeneral Sir Donald Stewart (1824–1900)	8 April 1881	28 November 1885	4 years, 234 days	–
6		Roberts, FrederickLieutenant general Sir Frederick Roberts (1832–1914)	28 November 1885	8 April 1893	7 years, 131 days	1st Baron Roberts of Kandahar
7		White, GeorgeGeneral Sir George White (1835–1912)	8 April 1893	20 March 1898	4 years, 346 days	–
8		Nairne, CharlesGeneral Sir Charles Nairne (1836–1899)	20 March 1898	4 November 1898	229 days	Officiating.
9		Lockhart, WilliamGeneral Sir William Lockhart (1841–1900)	4 November 1898	18 March 1900 †	1 year, 134 days	–
10		Palmer, ArthurGeneral Sir Arthur Palmer (1840–1904)	19 March 1900[4]	28 November 1902	2 years, 254 days	–
11		Kitchener, HerbertGeneral The Viscount Kitchener (1850–1916)	28 November 1902[5]	10 September 1909	6 years, 286 days	Reconstructed the disorganisedIndian Army, but quarreled with the ViceroyLord Curzon, who resigned.
12		Creagh, O'MooreGeneral Sir O'Moore Creagh (1848–1923)	10 September 1909	8 March 1914	4 years, 179 days	Douglas Haig, then a lieutenant general, served asChief of the General Staff (India) in 1909–12.
13		Duff, BeauchampGeneral Sir Beauchamp Duff (1855–1918)	8 March 1914	1 October 1916	2 years, 207 days	–
14		Monro, CharlesGeneral Sir Charles Monro (1860–1929)	1 October 1916	21 November 1920	4 years, 51 days	–
15		Rawlinson, HenryGeneral The Lord Rawlinson (1864–1925)	21 November 1920	28 March 1925 †	4 years, 127 days	Former GOC,British Fourth Army on theWestern Front.
16		Jacob, ClaudGeneral Sir Claud Jacob (1863–1948)	3 April 1925	6 August 1925	125 days	–
17		Birdwood, WilliamField Marshal The Lord Birdwood (1865–1951)	6 August 1925	30 November 1930	5 years, 116 days	Distinguished commander ofANZAC troops onGallipoli and the Western Front.
18		Chetwode, PhilipField Marshal The Lord Chetwode (1869–1950)	30 November 1930	30 November 1935	5 years	TheIndian Military Academy was established during his tenure.
19		Cassels, RobertGeneral Sir Robert Cassels (1876–1959)	30 November 1935	27 January 1941	5 years, 58 days	–
20		Auchinleck, ClaudeGeneral Sir Claude Auchinleck (1884–1981)	27 January 1941	5 July 1941	159 days	Left to take command of theMiddle East Command (swapped jobs withWavell).
21		Wavell, ArchibaldGeneral Sir Archibald Wavell (1883–1950)	5 July 1941	5 January 1942	184 days	Left to take command of the short livedABDACOM; later becameViceroy.
22		Hartley, AlanGeneral Sir Alan Hartley (1882–1954)	5 January 1942	7 March 1942	61 days	–
(21)		Wavell, ArchibaldField Marshal Sir Archibald Wavell (1883–1950)	7 March 1942	20 June 1943	1 year, 105 days	Reappointment. Sir Alan Hartley appointed Deputy C-in-C, India.
(20)		Auchinleck, ClaudeField Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck (1884–1981)	20 June 1943	15 August 1947	4 years, 56 days	Served as the last C-in-C, India. Reappointed 15 August 1947, and became Supreme Commander ofIndia andPakistan. Oversaw division of the Armed forces between the two new countries. Served in this capacity until November 1948, when the role of Supreme Commander was abolished.

• Secretary of State for India
• Governor-General of India
• Chief of the General Staff
• Chief of the Army Staff
• Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army

• Cadell, P. R. (1944)."Commanders-in-Chief of the Indian Army".Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research.22 (90):220–222.JSTOR 44228345. (Summer 1944)
• Warner, Philip (1982) [1981].Auchinleck. The Lonely Soldier. London: Sphere Books.ISBN 0-7221-8905-2.

• Chronological List of Commanders-in-Chief, India to 1947
• Bharat Rakshak,"Commanders-in-Chief". Archived fromthe original on 19 February 2012. Land Forces

• British military commanders in chief
• Government of British India
• Military history of British India
• 1748 establishments in the British Empire
• 1947 disestablishments in the British Empire

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