DIAV – Directorate of Indian Army Veterans: Important Information for Ex-Servicemen, Veer Naris & Their Families
For an Ex-Serviceman, retirement from the Indian Army does not mean the end of the relationship with the service. Pension, family pension, ECHS, disability benefits, insurance, welfare schemes, employment and other post-retirement entitlements continue to remain important throughout a veteran’s life.
To provide a single-window mechanism for veterans’ grievances, welfare and support, the Indian Army has established the Directorate of Indian Army Veterans (DIAV) under the Adjutant General’s Branch.
DIAV works as an important coordination and grievance-redressal mechanism for Army veterans, Veer Naris, Next of Kin (NoK) and their families. Government information has also described the dedicated Directorate at Army Headquarters as part of the strengthened grievance-redressal system for Ex-Servicemen.
What is DIAV?
DIAV stands for Directorate of Indian Army Veterans.
It functions under the Adjutant General’s Branch, Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army) and deals with a wide range of issues concerning Army veterans and their families.
The objective is to provide veterans with a coordinated mechanism through which their problems can be examined and taken up with the appropriate Army formations, Record Offices, government departments and other organisations.
The DIAV has historically functioned from 104, Cavalry Road, Maude Lines, Delhi Cantt – 110010.
From Veterans Cell to DIAV
The Army initially created a dedicated Veterans Cell to address problems and grievances of veterans at Army Headquarters level. As the volume and scope of veterans’ issues increased, the mechanism was expanded into the Directorate of Indian Army Veterans (DIAV).
The Directorate has subsequently developed into a broader single-window welfare and grievance mechanism, coordinating with various Army and civilian organisations.
Government information has specifically recognised the dedicated Army Headquarters Directorate as part of the mechanism for addressing grievances of Ex-Servicemen.
Four Important Functional Areas of DIAV
DIAV’s work can broadly be understood through four important functional areas.
1. Policy & Outreach
The Policy & Outreach function serves as an important point of contact between veterans and the Army’s veteran-support system.
Its areas of work include:
- Veteran outreach
- Grievance monitoring
- Policy-related issues
- Communication with veterans
- Online information and data management
- Coordination of veteran-related matters
The purpose is to ensure that issues raised by veterans are appropriately monitored and taken up with the concerned authorities.
2. Pensions & Entitlements
Pension is one of the most important concerns of retired Armed Forces personnel.
The Pensions & Entitlements function deals with matters relating to issues such as:
- Pension sanction
- Pension disbursement
- Pension corrections
- Entitlement-related problems
- PPO-related issues
- Coordination with Record Offices
- Coordination with PCDA authorities
- Pension grievances
- Certain pension-related legal and policy matters
However, veterans should remember that DIAV does not replace the competent pension sanctioning or payment authority.
Depending on the issue, the matter may ultimately require action by the concerned Record Office, PCDA(P), SPARSH or another competent authority.
3. Benefits & Welfare
Post-retirement welfare involves much more than pension.
The Benefits & Welfare function addresses or coordinates issues relating to various welfare and rehabilitation services.
These may include:
- ECHS/medical matters
- Education-related benefits
- Housing
- Re-employment
- Insurance
- Welfare schemes
- Assistance for veterans and families
- Rehabilitation-related matters
DIAV may coordinate with organisations and agencies involved in veterans’ welfare, including ECHS, AGIF/AGI, AWHO, AWES and AWPO, depending on the nature of the case.
The wider Government welfare framework for Ex-Servicemen includes medical assistance, education, rehabilitation, resettlement and employment-related schemes.
4. Skilling & Transition
Retirement can be a major transition in the life of a soldier.
The Skilling & Transition function focuses on helping veterans prepare for their second career.
It may involve:
- Skill development
- Employment opportunities
- Training
- Assessment
- Certification
- Connecting veterans with appropriate skill-development programmes
The objective is to help personnel make a smoother transition from military service to civilian employment or self-employment.
Veterans E-Lobby: A Single-Window Support Concept
An important initiative associated with DIAV is the Veterans E-Lobby / Veerangana Sewa Kendra (VSK) support mechanism.
The VSK system was developed to provide veterans and Veer Naris with easier access to welfare and grievance services.
The Government has stated that VSK provides facilities for registering grievances, tracking their status and receiving feedback. It also connects different stakeholders, including Record Offices, ECHS, AWWA, Canteen Services Directorate, PCDA authorities and veteran-related organisations.
Support can include:
- Pension and banking assistance
- Welfare grievance registration
- Family and widow support
- Medical/ECHS-related assistance
- Disability-related support
- Skill-development guidance
- Financial and welfare guidance
- Coordination with concerned authorities
How Does the DIAV Grievance System Work?
A veteran does not necessarily have to personally visit multiple offices to begin raising a grievance.
Depending on the nature of the issue, a grievance can be brought to the notice of the appropriate DIAV/VSK mechanism.
The matter can then be:
Veteran → DIAV/VSK → Concerned Authority → Action/Response → Grievance Monitoring
For example, a pension-related issue may require coordination with a Record Office or pension authority, while an ECHS matter may need to be taken up with the appropriate ECHS authority.
The VSK system was specifically designed to enable grievance registration and monitoring and to connect multiple stakeholders through a common digital platform.
Important: DIAV Is Not the Final Sanctioning Authority for Every Case
This is one of the most important points veterans should understand.
DIAV should not be treated as the final authority for every pension, medical, welfare or entitlement matter.
Different organisations have different statutory, administrative or operational responsibilities.
For example:
| Type of Issue | Possible Competent Authority |
| Service records | Concerned Record Office |
| Pension payment | PCDA(P)/SPARSH/concerned authority |
| ECHS medical issue | ECHS |
| Insurance claim | AGIF/concerned insurance authority |
| Central welfare scheme | KSB/DESW/concerned authority |
| Resettlement/employment | DGR/other concerned organisation |
| State welfare benefit | State Government/RSB/ZSB |
| Army-level grievance | DIAV/concerned Army authority |
DIAV’s important role is often coordination, monitoring, guidance and grievance facilitation, while the final decision may rest with the competent authority.
Government information also describes the wider veterans’ grievance mechanism as involving multiple agencies, including DESW, CGDA, KSB, DGR and ECHS.
DIAV and Pension Grievances
Pension-related problems are among the most important issues faced by veterans.
Examples include:
- Incorrect pension amount
- Pension revision problems
- PPO discrepancies
- Family pension issues
- Entitlement disputes
- Missing pension records
- Service-record discrepancies affecting pension
- Delayed pension-related action
Before approaching DIAV, veterans should keep copies of important documents such as:
- PPO/e-PPO
- Discharge Book
- Service documents
- Pension calculation documents
- Bank statement
- SPARSH records
- Relevant correspondence
- Previous grievance/reference number
Providing a complete documentary record can make it easier for the concerned authority to examine the case.
DIAV Support for Veer Naris & Family Pensioners
Veer Naris and family pensioners often face different challenges from service pensioners.
These can include:
- Family pension
- PPO corrections
- Death-related documentation
- Dependency issues
- Medical/ECHS support
- Welfare benefits
- Insurance claims
- Education assistance
- Other family welfare matters
The VSK mechanism was specifically designed to provide Veer Naris/Next of Kin with multiple channels for seeking assistance, including telephone, SMS, WhatsApp, email, post and walk-in support.
DIAV & Veterans’ Welfare Ecosystem
DIAV does not work in isolation.
Veteran welfare involves a large network of organisations.
Important organisations include:
Ministry of Defence / DESW
Responsible for policy and administration relating to Ex-Servicemen welfare at the Government level.
Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB)
Works on welfare, rehabilitation and resettlement policies for Ex-Servicemen and their dependents.
Directorate General of Resettlement (DGR)
Focuses on resettlement and employment/self-employment opportunities.
ECHS
Provides healthcare services to eligible beneficiaries.
AGIF/AGI
Handles applicable Army Group Insurance matters.
Record Offices
Maintain service records and deal with many service-related documentation issues.
PCDA(P)/SPARSH
Handle pension processing and disbursement-related functions depending on the pensioner’s system and category.
Government information confirms that these organisations form part of the broader Ex-Servicemen welfare and grievance-redressal ecosystem.
Why Every Veteran Should Know About DIAV
A veteran may spend considerable time moving between different offices when trying to resolve a complicated issue.
Understanding DIAV can help veterans identify an appropriate Army-level coordination and grievance mechanism.
DIAV can be particularly useful when a problem:
- Involves multiple Army authorities
- Requires coordination between departments
- Concerns veteran welfare
- Has remained unresolved despite approaching the concerned office
- Requires Army-level monitoring
- Concerns a Veer Nari or family member
Documents Veterans Should Keep Ready
Before submitting a grievance, keep the following documents organised:
- PPO/e-PPO
- Discharge Book
- Service identity documents
- ECHS card
- Pension bank details
- Aadhaar/PAN, where relevant
- Medical documents, if applicable
- Previous correspondence
- Grievance/reference numbers
- Relevant orders or sanction letters
Never send original documents by post unless the competent authority specifically requires them. Keep scanned copies and photocopies safely.
DIAV Contact Details
The contact information below is based on veteran-support material associated with DIAV. A recent veterans’ welfare booklet lists the following DIAV/VSK numbers and email addresses. (AWWA)
For Family Pensioners / Veer Naris
Telephone: 011-25664100
WhatsApp: 9910964067
Email: diav.vsk@gov.in
For Service Pensioners / Veterans
Telephone: 011-25664200
WhatsApp: 9910610866
Email: veteranscell-army@nic.in
DIAV Address
Directorate of Indian Army Veterans (DIAV)
Adjutant General’s Branch
Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army)
104, Cavalry Road, Maude Lines
Delhi Cantt – 110010
Historical and official-linked veteran publications also identify 104 Cavalry Road, Delhi Cantt as the DIAV location.
Important: Contact numbers and email addresses can change. Veterans should verify the latest contact information through the official Indian Army Veterans Portal before sending sensitive documents or personal information.
Official Indian Army Veterans Portal
Veterans can use the Indian Army Veterans Portal for information and veteran-related services.
The portal has been associated with DIAV’s veteran outreach and grievance-management system. The Government has described the portal/VSK mechanism as supporting registration and tracking of grievances.
DIAV vs Other Defence Welfare Organisations
| Organisation | Main Role |
| DIAV | Army veterans’ welfare, coordination and grievance facilitation |
| KSB | National/state-level ESM welfare policy and schemes |
| DGR | Resettlement, employment and self-employment |
| ECHS | Healthcare for eligible beneficiaries |
| Record Office | Service records and service-related documentation |
| PCDA(P)/SPARSH | Pension processing/disbursement-related functions |
| AGIF/AGI | Applicable insurance-related matters |
| ZSB/RSB | District/state-level veteran welfare support |
Key Takeaways for Ex-Servicemen
Remember these five points:
1. DIAV is an important Army-level support mechanism.
2. Pension is only one part of DIAV’s work.
3. Veer Naris and family pensioners can also seek assistance through the appropriate VSK/DIAV mechanism.
4. DIAV coordinates with the competent authority; it does not necessarily have the power to finally sanction every benefit or pension claim.
5. Always keep your PPO, service documents and previous correspondence ready before raising a grievance.
Frequently Asked Questions About DIAV
What does DIAV stand for?
DIAV stands for Directorate of Indian Army Veterans.
Under which branch does DIAV function?
DIAV functions under the Adjutant General’s Branch of the Indian Army.
Can DIAV resolve pension problems?
DIAV can facilitate, monitor and coordinate pension-related grievances, but the final action may have to be taken by the concerned Record Office, pension authority, PCDA/SPARSH or another competent authority, depending on the issue.
Can Veer Naris approach DIAV?
Yes. The DIAV/VSK mechanism provides support for Veer Naris and Next of Kin, including grievance registration and monitoring.
Can DIAV help with ECHS matters?
DIAV can facilitate or coordinate veterans’ welfare grievances involving ECHS where appropriate, but the final medical/administrative decision remains with the competent ECHS authority.
Where is DIAV located?
DIAV is located at 104, Cavalry Road, Maude Lines, Delhi Cantt – 110010.
Conclusion
The Directorate of Indian Army Veterans (DIAV) is an important part of the Indian Army’s post-retirement support system. For Ex-Servicemen, Veer Naris, disabled veterans and their families, it provides an important channel for grievance facilitation, coordination, welfare support, pension and entitlement-related assistance, outreach and transition support.
The most important thing for veterans to remember is that DIAV is a coordination and grievance-redressal mechanism—not a universal final sanctioning authority. The final decision on a particular matter may rest with the Record Office, PCDA/SPARSH, ECHS, AGIF, KSB, DGR, State Government or another competent authority.
Therefore, veterans should use DIAV intelligently: keep complete documents, clearly describe the grievance, retain reference numbers, follow up through the appropriate channel and verify current contact details through official sources.
For the defence pensioner community, knowing where to approach and which authority is responsible can save considerable time and prevent unnecessary hardship.