This is a controversial point. Like Cariappa, Arjan Singh received his fifth star for longevity and being the first Indian to head their respective service. But any objective historian can see what a shitshow higher level management of the IAF was in 1965, and none was brought to account. From the CAS poor leadership to incompetence at KKD and Subia rising to VCAS, BS Sikand rising to Air Marshal are all examples of institutional failure. It must have taken a lot of effort on P C Lal's part to prepare the IAF for war in 1971. He was perhaps the only chief to deserved a fifth star and not just the Padma Vibhishan. Ditto for SM Nanda in the Navy (subsequent post retirement dealings aside).
