Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Services (AFHQCS) is a Group B Central Civil Services, responsible for providing civilian staff, secretarial, housekeeping, clerical, and support services to the headquarters of Indian Armed Forces and Inter-Services Organizations (ISOs) under the Ministry of Defense (MOD). The cadre was established in 1968. The number of employees in the service in 1968 was 1778; in 2011, 2644; and in 2016, 3235.

In 1942, during World War II, civilian employees under different departments and branches of the Armed Forces Headquarters responsible for providing static ancillary services were reorganized and consolidated under one head who was called the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). The first CAO took over on the 1st of August, 1942. In 1987, the post of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), was upgraded to the level of a Joint Secretary (JS). Source