Republic Day 2025 - Defence Personnel Honoured with Honorary Commissions, Full List Released: As part of the 76th Republic Day celebrations, several defence personnel from the Armoured Corps, Regiment of Artillery, and various other Army units have been selected to receive honorary commissions to the rank of honorary captain or lieutenant. The Ministry of Defence announced this in a statement on Friday.

The ministry released a draft gazette listing the names of the personnel who have been granted honorary ranks. These awards are given under Para 177 of the Regulation for the Army, 1987, and take effect from January 26, 2025, provided the recipients have no disciplinary actions against them and have demonstrated satisfactory performance.

Personnel on the Active List

In the category ‘To be Honorary Captain (on Active List),’ 12 personnel from the Armoured Corps have been recognized, including Risaldar Major & Honorary Lieutenant Bharat Bhushan, Risaldar Maj & Honorary Lieutenant  Dinesh Kumar, and Risaldar Maj & Honorary Lieutenant Parmajit Singh.

In addition, personnel from other units, such as the Regiment of Artillery, Army Air Defence, Madras Engineers Group, Bengal Engineers Group, Bombay Engineers Group, Corps of Signals, Parachute Regiment, the Grenadiers, Maratha Light Infantry, Army Medical Corps, Corps of Military Police, and the Territorial Army, also feature in the list.

Under the ‘To be Honorary Lieutenant (on Active List)’ category, 53 names were highlighted, including members of the Armoured Corps and units such as the Madras Regiment, Rajputana Rifles, Sikh Regiment, and Garhwal Rifles.

Honorary Titles for Retired Personnel

The second draft gazette released by the ministry includes lists of retired personnel being awarded honorary titles. One section, titled 'To be Honorary Captain (on Retirement),' details names of retirees receiving this recognition, effective from dates mentioned alongside their names.

Similarly, another section, titled 'To be Naib Risaldar/Subedar (on Retirement),' lists retired personnel awarded these honorary ranks. These recognitions are granted under Para 179 of the Regulation for the Army, 1987.

Impact of the Honorary Commissions

Sources within the defence establishment noted that along with these commissions, the recipients’ uniforms and insignia will also change, reflecting their honorary ranks.

The Ministry of Defence also shared additional links for the complete draft gazettes, ensuring transparency and accessibility to the details.