The Master-General of the Ordnance (MGO) was historically one of the senior-most appointments within the Indian Army, served by a senior military officer holding the rank of lieutenant general. The MGO operated as a key staff officer at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army) in New Delhi, directing the entire logistical pipeline, global procurement, and lifecycle maintenance of weaponry, ammunition, vehicles, and electronics for the force. In a structural reorganization of the army headquarters, the traditional responsibilities of the MGO were transitioned and absorbed under the newly established office of the Master-General of Sustenance (MGS) to optimize revenue procurement and combat readiness.
Masters-General prior to Independence
Before the partition of the subcontinent and the establishment of the modern Indian Army in 1947, the office was occupied by senior British Army officers appointed to manage the military logistics of the Raj. Masters-general during this period included:
1924–1930: Edwin Henry de Vere Atkinson
1930–1934: Bertram Richard Kirwan
1934–1938: Henry Edward ap Rhys Pryce
1938–1942: Charles Clement Armitage
1942–1944: Clarence August Bird
1944–1947: Kenneth Morley Loch