Armed Forces Medical Services

Armed Forces Medical Services
सशस्त्र बल चिकित्सा सेवा
Crest of Armed Forces Medical Services
Active26 January 1947 - present
Country India
Branch Indian Armed Forces
TypeMilitary Medical Corps
RoleCombat support, medical service
Size70,000 approx[1]
HeadquartersDefence Officers Complex, Africa Avenue, New Delhi
Colors  Maroon
Commanders
Director General Armed Forces Medical Services Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin
Notable
commanders

The Armed Force Medical Services (AFMS) is an inter-services organisation under the Ministry of Defence, covering the Indian Armed Forces. It came into existence in 1948. The current Director General Armed Forces Medical Services is Air Marshal Arti Sarin, who assumed the position on 1 October 2024. The Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, a three-star officer, is the head of the Armed Forces Medical Services and is responsible to the Government for the overall medical policy in so far as they relate to the Armed Forces.[2][3]

History

In March 1947 the Armed Forces Medical Services and Research Integration Committee headed by Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy was appointed by the Government of India to consider the integration of the three armed forces medical services. The committee recommended that there should be three branches of the Indian Armed Forces Medical Services i.e. Army, Navy and Air Force and that there should be a Supreme Controller of all the three medical services designated as Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) who would be the advisor to the Supreme Commander or the Defence Minister as the case may be, regarding the medical needs of the Armed Forces. They would be the administrative head of the Armed Forces Medical Services.[4][5]

Accordingly, the Government in 1948 integrated the medical services of the Royal Indian Navy, the Indian Army and the Royal Indian Air Force into the Armed Forces Medical Service and placed the services under the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services with the rank of Lieutenant General / Vice Admiral / Air Marshal. The Government also laid down the role and character of responsibilities of DGAFMS. The DGAFMS was made directly responsible to the Ministry of Defence for overall medical policy matters in so far as they relate to the Armed Forces. The Government further laid down that the heads of medical services of Army, Navy and Air Force will be responsible for functioning of these services under the respective Service Chiefs in accordance with any general policy directions that may be given by the DGAFMS. The charter has since been amended and updated from time to time.[2]

Organisation

The Director General Armed Forces Medical Services heads the entire AFMS. The Director Generals of Medical Services of Army, Navy and Air Force are responsible for overseeing the functioning of the hospitals of the respective Services and also are the medical advisors to their respective Chief of Staff.

The AFMS consists of Army Medical Corps (AMC) including AMC (NT), Army Dental Corps (AD Corps) and Military Nursing Service (MNS).

Leadership

Appointment Appointee Photo Reference
Director General of Health Services (Armed Forces) Surgeon Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur NM [6]
Director General of Health Services (Organisation & Personnel) Surgeon Vice Admiral Vivek Hande AVSM, VSM [7]
Director General Medical Services (Army) Lieutenant General C.G. Muralidharan [8]
Director General Medical Services (Navy) Surgeon Vice Admiral Shankar Subramanian [9]
Director General Medical Services (Air) Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja SM, VSM* [10]
Director General Dental Services Lieutenant General Balakrishnan Jayan [11]
Additional Director General, Military Nursing Service Major General Rachel Thomas [12]

Classification of hospitals

Hospitals in the Army are classified into various categories as Sectional, Peripheral, Mid Zonal, Zonal, Command, Army Hospital (Research & Referral), based on bed strength and extent of availability of specialties.[13]

Training institutions

The Armed Forces Medical College, Pune (AFMC) is the premier training institution of the AFMS established in May 1948. Other select hospitals such as Army Hospital (R&R), CH (AF) Bengaluru and INHS Asvini, Mumbai also impart post graduate training to the AMC officers. The College of Nursing at AFMC conducts a four-year degree course in Nursing.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bhatt, Ajay (1 April 2022). "Unstarred Ques no. 4929, Lok Sabha" (PDF). Sansad. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 "DIRECTORATE GENERAL ARMED FORCE MEDICAL SERVICES | Department Of Defence". www.mod.gov.in. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  3. ↑ "Medical - Join Indian Navy | Government of India". www.joinindiannavy.gov.in. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  4. ↑ "Audit Reports | Director General of Audit, Defence Services, New Delhi". cag.gov.in. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  5. ↑ "Almanac: India, Republic of • Military Medicine Worldwide". military-medicine.com. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  6. ↑ "Surgeon Vice Adm Anupam Kapur assumes charge as Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces)". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "DGAFMS-MoD". x.com. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Lt. General C.G. Muralidharan takes charge as DGMS (Army)". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "SURGEON VICE ADMIRAL SHANKAR SUBRAMANIAN ASSUMED CHARGE AS DIRECTOR GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICES (NAVY) ON 11 MAY 2026". indiannavy.gov.in. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja appointed as next DGAFMS". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "DGAFMS-MOD". x.com. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Maj Gen Rachel Thomas assumes the appointment of ADG, Military Nursing Service". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Report No. 18 of 2012 - Performance Audit on Medical Establishments in Defence Services, Department of Defence" (PDF). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. ↑ "Welcome to Armed Forces Medical College". afmc.nic.in. Retrieved 13 April 2022.

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