List of Indian flags

This is a list of flags used in India by various organizations.

National flag

FlagDateUseDescription
1947–presentNational flag of IndiaA horizontal tricolour of saffron at the top, white in the middle, and green at the bottom. In the centre is a navy blue wheel with twenty-four spokes, known as the Ashoka Chakra.

Governmental flag

FlagDateUseDescription
1950–1971[1]Presidential Standard of India1st quarter: state emblem (the Lions of Sarnath) to represent national unity; 2nd quarter: elephant from Ajanta Caves to represent patience and strength; 3rd quarter: scales from the Red Fort, Old Delhi to represent justice and economy; 4th quarter: lotus vase from Sarnath to represent prosperity.
Flag used by Ministry of Defence A horizontal tricolour of red, navy blue and sky blue representing the army, navy and air force respectively.

Ensigns

FlagDateUseDescription
Civil air ensign India uses National Flag as Civil air ensign
Civil ensignA Red Ensign with the flag of India in the canton.
State ensignA Blue Ensign with the flag of India in the canton, and a yellow anchor horizontally in the fly.
FlagDateUseDescription
2022–presentIndian Naval EnsignThe ensign consists of the Indian national flag on the upper canton, a blue octagon encasing the national emblem atop an anchor to depict steadfastness, superimposed on a shield with the Navy’s motto “Sam No Varuna” (a Vedic mantra invoking the god of seas to be auspicious) in Devanagari. The octagon represents the eight directions and has been included as a symbol of the Navy’s “multidirectional reach and multidimensional operational capability”. The golden borders of the octagon have been inspired by the seal of Maratha Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Naval Reserve EnsignNaval Reserve Ensign used by auxiliary ships and merchant ships whose captain is a Navy Reserve Officer.

Port authorities

FlagDateUseDescription
Ensign of Port of Cochin
Ensign of Bombay Harbour Trust
Ensign of Commissioners of the Port of Calcutta

Military flags

Indian Armed Forces

FlagDateUseDescription
Flag of the Indian Armed ForcesA horizontal tricolour of red, navy blue and sky blue with the tri-service emblem at the centre
Flag of the Chief of Defence Staff and Chairman Chiefs of Staff CommitteeA red field with the flag of India in the canton, and the tri-service emblem
Flag of the Integrated Defence Staff A red field with the flag of India in the canton, There is insignia of two cross swords, an eagle, an anchor and an Ashok symbol above it

Army

FlagDateUseDescription
Flag of the Indian ArmyA red field with the flag of India in the canton, and the Army badge in the fly
Flag of the Field MarshalA red flag with the national emblem over two crossed batons in a lotus blossom wreath.
Flag of the Chief of the Army Staff
Flag of the General
Flag of the Vice Chief of the Army Staff
Flag of the Principal Staff Officer
Flag of the Lieutenant General
Flag of the Major General
Flag of the Brigadier

Components

Flags seen at Indian Army bases


"Strangely, the Indian national flag seems not to be used in military bases. I saw it only in schoolyards of government schools. Below are described some of the flags I have been able to see properly from the bus. Identification of the units was in most cases not possible for the reasons given above."

Ivan Sache, 25 August 2001, Website

FlagDateUseDescription
Flag of Ordnance Corps
Flag of Corps of EME
Flag of Regiment of Artillery
Flag of Service Corps
Flag of Medical Corps
Flag of 3rd Cavalry regiment
Flag of Garhwal Rifles
Flag of Northern Command
Flag of Punjab Regiment
Flag of XIV Corps
Flag of Corps of Engineers
Flag of Brigade of The Guards
Flag of 3rd Infantry
Flag of 267th Transit Camp
Flag of Vehicles of Basgo
Flag of Mechanised Infantry Regiment
Flag of Remount Veterinary Corps

Air Force

FlagDateUseDescription
Flag of the Indian Air ForceA sky-blue ensign with the flag of India in the canton, and the Air Force roundel in the fly.
President's Colour of the Indian Air ForceAir Force ensign with Presidential Standard elephant.
Flag of the Marshal of the Indian Air Force
Flag of the Air Chief Marshal (rank currently reserved for the Chief of Air Staff)
Flag of the Air marshal (also Vice Chief of the Air Staff)
Flag of the Air vice marshal
Flag of the Air commodore
Flag of the Group Captain
Flag of the Wing Commander
Flag Date Use Description
2022–present Flag of the Indian Navy A white ensign, featuring the Flag of India in the canton, and a navy blue filled, gold-bordered octagon, enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy, located in the fly.
2022–present President's Colour of the Indian Navy Indian Naval ensign with State Emblem of India.
2022–present Flag of the Admiral (rank currently reserved for the Chief of the Naval Staff) A white flag with a gold-bordered octagon enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy in the middle, and four blue stars in the hoist side.
2022–present Flag of the Vice admiral (also Vice Chief of the Naval Staff) A white flag with a gold-bordered octagon enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy in the middle, and three blue stars in the hoist side.
2022–present Flag of the Vice admiral A white flag with a gold-bordered octagon enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy in the middle, and two blue stars in the hoist side.
2022–present Flag of the Commodore A white flag with a gold-bordered octagon enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy in the middle, and one blue star in the hoist side.

Coast Guard

FlagDateUseDescription
Flag of the Indian Coast GuardA Blue Ensign with the Flag of India in the canton, and the Coast Guard badge in the fly
Flag of the Director General of the Indian Coast GuardA Blue Ensign with the Flag of India in the canton, and the Coast Guard badge in the fly
Flag of the Additional Director General of the Indian Coast Guard
Flag of the Inspector-General of the Indian Coast Guard
Flag of the Deputy Inspector-General of the Indian Coast Guard
Flag of the Commandant of the Indian Coast Guard

Paramilitary forces

FlagDateUseDescription
Flag of Assam Rifles
Flag of Rashtriya Rifles
Flag of Central Reserve Police Force
Flag of Central Industrial Security Force
Flag of Railway Protection ForceLink to FLAG
Flag of Border Security Force
Flag of Sashastra Seema Bal
Flag of Indo-Tibetan Border Police
Flag of National Security Guard
Flag of Special Protection Group

Other agencies

FlagDateUseDescription
Flag of Territorial Army
Flag of National Cadet Corps
Flag of Border Roads Organisation

Former Flags of Indian Armed Forces

Indian Air Force rank flags (1950-1980)

FlagDateUseDescription
1950–1980Marshal of the Indian Air ForceNever used.
1950–1980Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force
1950–1980Air Marshal of the Indian Air Force
1950–1980Air Vice Marshal of the Indian Air Force
1950–1980Air Commodore of the Indian Air Force
1950–1980Group Captain of the Indian Air Force
1950–1980Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force
1950–1980Squadron Leader of the Indian Air Force

Indian Naval Ensigns

FlagDateUseDescription
1950–2001Indian Naval EnsignA red cross on a white field, with the Indian national flag in the canton.
2001–2004
2004–2014A red cross on a white field, with the Indian state emblem in yellow at the center, with the Indian national flag in the canton.
2014–2022A red cross on a white field, with the Indian state emblem in yellow at the center, with the Indian national flag in the canton.

Indian Navy flags

FlagDateUseDescription
1951–2022President's Colour of the Indian Navy Indian Naval ensign with Presidential Standard elephant.
1950–2001
2004–2022
Commissioning pennantA white triangular pennant with at hoist the St. George's red cross defaced with the Ashoka Chakra.
2001–2004Commissioning pennant of the Indian Navy

Indian Navy rank flags

FlagDateUseDescription
1950–2001
2004–2022
Flag of the Admiral (was only used by Chief of the Naval Staff
1950–2001
2004–2022
Flag of the Vice Admiral (also Vice Chief of the Naval Staff)
1950–2001
2004–2022
Flag of the Rear Admiral
1950–2001
2004–2022
Flag of the Commodore
1950–2001
2004–2022
Flag of the Senior officer
2001–2004Flag of Admiral of the Fleet of the Indian NavyNever used.
2001–2004Flag of Admiral of the Indian Navy
2001–2004Flag of Vice Admiral of the Indian Navy
2001–2004Flag of Rear Admiral of the Indian Navy
2001–2004Flag of Commodore of the Indian Navy
2001–2004Flag of Senior Officer of the Indian Navy

(British) Indian Army

FlagDateUseDescription
1942–1947Ensign of the British Indian ArmyRed field emblazoned with Star of India crossed by two swords and beneath the Tudor Crown.
1878–1947Flag of the Indian Army Service CorpsA Blue Ensign with the Union Jack at the canton, and the Star of India crossed by two swords displayed in the fly.

(Royal) Indian Air Force

FlagDateUseDescription
1945-1947Ensign of the Royal Indian Air ForceA field of air force blue with the United Kingdom's flag in the canton and the Royal Indian Air Force's roundel in the fly.

(Royal) Indian Marine/(Royal) Indian Navy

FlagDateUseDescription
1863–19471877–1892 Ensign of Her Majesty's Indian Marine
1892–1928: Ensign of the Royal Indian Marine
1928–1934 Naval jack of the Royal Indian Marine
1934–1947: Naval jack of the Royal Indian Navy
A Blue Ensign with the Union Jack at the canton, and the Star of India displayed in the fly.
1884–19281884–1892 Naval jack of Her Majesty's Indian Marine
1892–1928: Naval jack of the Royal Indian Marine
The Union Jack with blue border.
1928–19501928–1934: Ensign of the Royal Indian Marine
1934–1950: Ensign of the Royal Indian Navy
The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.
1954–19551954–1955: Flag of the Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy
1955: Flag of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy
The St George's Cross.
Ensign of an Admiral in the Royal Navy.
1934–19581934–1948: Flag of the Flag Officer Commanding, Royal Indian Navy
1948–1950: Flag of the Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy
1950–1954: Flag of the Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy
1955–1958: Flag of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy
Ensign of a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy.
1928–19581928–1932: Flag of the Flag Officer Commanding and Director, Royal Indian Marine
1934–1950: Flag of a Flag Officer, Royal Indian Navy
1950–1958: Flag of a Flag Officer, Indian Navy
Ensign of a Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy.

State and union territory flags

At present there are no officially recognised flags for individual states and union territories of India. No legal prohibitions to prevent states adopting distinctive flags exist in either the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 or the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.[2] In a 1994 case before the Supreme Court of India, S. R. Bommai v. Union of India, the Supreme Court declared that there is no prohibition in the Constitution of India for a state to have its own flag. However, a state flag should not dishonour the national flag.[3] The Flag code of India also permits other flags to be flown with the Flag of India, but not on the same flag pole of in a superior position to the national flag.[4]

Former official state flags

The state of Jammu and Kashmir had an officially recognised state flag between 1952 and 2019 under the special status granted to the state by Article 370 of the Constitution of India.

FlagStateUsage dateDescription
1947–1952 The flag was red with a plough in the centre. The red background stood for labour and the plough stood for agriculture. The ratio of the flag was 3:2.
1952–2019 The flag was red with three white vertical stripes in the hoist and a plough in the fly. The red background stood for labour, the stripes stood for the three administrative divisions of the state (Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh) and the plough stood for agriculture. The ratio of the flag was 3:2.[5]

Proposed state flags

Flags have been proposed for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, but neither were officially adopted.

FlagStateDateUseDescription
Tamil NaduProposed in 1970The Government of Tamil Nadu proposed a design for a state flag in 1970.[6]Grey flag with the flag of India in the canton and the Emblem of Tamil Nadu in the fly.
Karnataka Proposed in 2018 The Government of Karnataka proposed a design for a state flag in 2018.[7] Yellow, white and red tricolour with the Emblem of Karnataka centred on the white band.

Banners of the states and union territories

When a distinctive banner is required to represent a state or union territory, the emblem of the state or union territory is usually displayed on a white field.[8][9][10]

States

Union territories

Historical flags

Indian polities

FlagDurationUseDescription
1320–1413Flag of the Tughlaq dynasty of the Delhi SultanateA dark green flag with a black strip left of center.
1336–1646Flag of The Vijayanagara EmpireFlag of the Vijayanagara Empire showing white crescent, black dagger, a Varaha Boar and Rising Sun on a Swallowtail yellow back ground flag.
1490–1636Flag of the Ahmadnagar SultanateA dark green triangular swallowtailed field.
1518–1687Flag of the Golconda SultanateA turquoise field.
1526–1858Flag of the Mughal Empire (Alam)A flag that was primarily moss green.[11]
1674–1818Flag of the Maratha Empire (Bhagwa Dhwaj)A saffron colored swallowtail flag.
1716-1799Flag of The Sikh ConfederacyFlag of the Nihang Khalsa Fauj showing weapons like Katar (dagger), Dhal Shield and Kirpan. The standard goes from 'bottom to top' signifying that the armies of the tenth guru are always victorious.
1799–1849Flag of the Sikh Empire (Nishan Sahib)A triangular flag that was saffron with a green border.

Colonial India

British rule in India

FlagDurationUseDescription
1880–1947Civil Ensign of India used to represent India internationally.A Red Ensign with the Union Jack at the canton, defaced with the Star of India emblem displayed in the fly.
1885–1947Flag of the Viceroy and Governor-General of IndiaThe Union Jack defaced with the insignia of the Order of the Star of India beneath the Tudor Crown.
1858–1947The official state flag of the British Empire used in IndiaThe Flag of the United Kingdom.
1801–1858Flag of the East India CompanyA striped banner with the Union Jack in the canton.
1707–1801Flag of the East India CompanyA striped banner with the Union Jack of Great Britain in the canton.
1600–1707Flag of the East India CompanyA striped banner with Saint George's Cross in the canton.
Princely states

French India

FlagDateUseDescription
1667–1791Flag of the Kingdom of FranceFlag of the Kingdom of France.
1791–17941791–1792: Flag of the Kingdom of France
1792–1794: Flag of the French First Republic
The flag of France.
1814-1815
1815–1830
Flag of the Kingdom of France under the Bourbon RestorationFlag of the Kingdom of France.
1794–1804, 1830–1940, 1944–19541794–1804: Flag of the French First Republic
1804–1814, 1815: Flag of the First French Empire
1830–1848; Flag of the Kingdom of France
1848–1852: Flag of the French Second Republic
1852–1870: Flag of the Second French Empire
1870–1940: Flag of the French Third Republic and French Empire
1944–1946: Flag of the Provisional Government of the Fourth French Republic
1946–1954: Flag of the French Fourth Republic and French Union
The flag of France.
1940–1944Flag of French India under Free FranceFlag of Free France with the Cross of Lorraine

Portuguese India

FlagDateUseDescription
1497–1521Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal.
1578–1616Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal.
1616–1640Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal.
1640–1667Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal.
17th and 18th centuriesPortuguese Indian Naval Ensign.
1667–1706Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal.
18th centuryPortuguese Indian Merchant Ensign
1706–1750Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal.
1816–1826Flag of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.
1826–1830Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal.
1830–1910Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal.Vertical bicolour blue-white. Proportion of the fields: 1:1.
1910–1961 (de facto)
1910–1974 (de jure)
Flag of the Portuguese Republic. The final state flag of Portuguese India.Used from the implantation of the Portuguese Republic in 1910. Officially used until 1974, as Portugal only then recognised the Annexation of Portuguese India.
1967 (proposed)Proposed official flag for Portuguese India in 1967.Proposal by F. P. de Almeida Langhans. Never actually used.
1935-1961 Distinctive Flag of a Portuguese Overseas Governor-General (used by the Governor-General of Portuguese India)

Dutch India

FlagDateUseDescription
1605-1795The Prince's Flag
1652-1795States Flag
1795–1806Flag of the Batavian Republic
1813–1825Flag of Sovereign Principality of the United Netherlands and the United Kingdom of the Netherlands

Danish India

FlagDateUseDescription
1620–1869The flag of Denmark (Denmark-Norway until 1814)

Swedish India

FlagDateUseDescription
1731–1813The flag of Sweden

Austrian India

FlagDateUseDescription
1778–1785The flag of Archduchy of Austria

Indian independence movement

Flags used in the Indian independence movement

FlagDateUseDescription
1906Calcutta flagThree horizontal bands of equal width with the top being orange, the centre yellow, and the bottom green. It had eight half-opened lotus flowers on the top stripe, and a picture of the sun and a crescent moon on the bottom stripe. वन्दे मातरम् (Vande Mātaram) was inscribed in the centre in Devanagari. The partition of Bengal (1905) resulted in the introduction of a new Indian flag that sought to unite the multitude of castes and races within the country. The Vande Mataram flag, part of the Swadeshi movement against the British, comprised Indian religious symbols represented in western heraldic fashion. The tricolour flag included eight white lotuses on the upper green band representing the eight provinces, a sun and a crescent on the bottom red band, and the Vande Mataram slogan in Hindi on the central yellow band. The flag was launched in Calcutta bereft of any ceremony and the launch was only briefly covered by newspapers. The flag was not covered in contemporary governmental or political reports either, but was used at the annual session of the Indian National Congress. A slightly modified version was subsequently used by Madam Bhikaji Cama at the Second Socialist International Meeting in Stuttgart. Despite the multiple uses of the flag, it failed to generate enthusiasm amongst Indian nationalists.[12]
1907Early Indian nationalist flags [Note 1]
1917Flag of the Home Rule Movement[Note 2]Five red and four green horizontal stripes
On the upper left quadrant was the Union Jack, which signified the Dominion status that the movement sought to achieve. A crescent and a star, both in white, are set in top fly. Seven white stars are arranged as in the Saptarishi constellation (the constellation Ursa Major), which is sacred to Hindus.
1915–1919 Flag of Provisional Government of India.
1931–1947The Swaraj Flag, officially adopted by the Indian National Congress in 1931. In the years 1943–1945 it was the official flag of the Azad Hind Imperial Japanese puppet government for India and the Indian National Army
1942–1945Flag of the Indian Legion of the Waffen-SS of Nazi GermanyThree horizontal strips of saffron, white, and green, with a springing tiger in the centre.

Proposed flags

FlagDateUseDescription
1902 Design reported in the Daily Express to have been proposed as part of a series of Empire flags that would replace the Union Jack in representing individual territories of the British Empire[15] The Cross of Saint George and the crown in the canton would have been present on all Empire flags to represent the English. In the top right would have been the emblem of the territory flying the flag, and in this case, the Star of India. A large sun in the centre symbolizes "the empire on which the sun never sets."
Proposed in 1904, used in April 1910Flag proposed in an issue of an Anglo-Indian weekly.[16]Dark blue, green and light blue triband with a purple band at the hoist depicting the Orion constellation. A thin red border surrounds the whole flag.
1921Mahatma Gandhi's Original Proposal
1921Gandhi's flag, introduced at the Indian National Congress meeting in 1921
1947Louis Mountbatten's proposed flag for India.[16]The Swaraj flag with a small Union Flag in the canton.
1965Proposed official flag for Portuguese India in 1965. The proposal came after the annexation of the territories in 1961 and was part of a series of similar flags for the other colonies.Proposal by F. P. de Almeida Langhans. Never actually used.

Dominion of India

FlagDateUseDescription
1947–1950Flag of the Dominion of IndiaA horizontal tricolour of saffron at the top, white in the middle, and green at the bottom. In the centre is a navy blue wheel with twenty-four spokes, known as the Ashoka Chakra.
1947–1950Flag of the governor-general of IndiaDark blue field emblazoned with the royal crest (a Tudor Crown surmounted by the lion of England, itself wearing the crown), beneath which was the word 'India' in gold majuscules. Similar to flags used by other Governors-General of Commonwealth realms.

Political flags

National parties

Party Flag Ref.
Aam Aadmi Party [17]
Bahujan Samaj Party [18]
Bharatiya Janata Party [19]
Communist Party of India (Marxist) [20]
Indian National Congress [21]
National People's Party [22]

House Flags

Flag Date Use Description
1919–present Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd.
19th-1952 Bombay Steam Navigation Company

See also

Notes

  1. Around the same time, another proposal for the flag was initiated by Sister Nivedita, a Hindu reformist and disciple of Swami Vivekananda. The flag consisted of a thunderbolt in the centre and a hundred and eight oil lamps for the border, with the Vande Mataram caption split around the thunderbolt. It was also presented at the Indian National Congress meeting in 1906.[13] Soon, many other proposals were initiated, but none of them gained attention from the nationalist movement.
  2. In 1916, Suraiya Tayyabji submitted thirty new designs, in the form of a booklet funded by members of the High Court of Madras. These many proposals and recommendations did little more than keep the flag movement alive. The same year, Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak adopted a new flag as part of the Home Rule Movement. The flag included the Union Jack in the upper left corner, a star and crescent in the upper right, and seven stars displayed diagonally from the lower right, on a background of five red and four green alternating bands. The flag resulted in the first governmental initiative against any nationalistic flag, as a magistrate in Coimbatore banned its use. The ban was followed by a public debate on the function and importance of a national flag.[14]

References

  1. Das, Chand N. (1984). Traditions and Customs of the Indian Armed Forces. Vision Books. p. 53.
  2. "Should States have their own flags?". The Hindu. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  3. "'Non-NDA states playing emblem politics to cover up their failure'". 14 July 2018.
  4. "Flag Code of India - Wikisource, the free online library". en.wikisource.org. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  5. Haynes, Ed (24 September 1996). "Jammu and Kashmir (India)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  6. "When Tamil Nadu proposed a State flag nearly five decades ago". Archived from the original on 23 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  7. "Karnataka government unveils the state flag, awaits Centre's approval". hindustantimes.com/. 2018-03-08. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  8. "Vexilla Mundi". vexilla-mundi.com. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  9. "Arunachal: New Pema Khandu govt to revamp education, law & order - EastMojo".
  10. "AMIT SINGH on Facebook". Facebook. Archived from the original on 2022-04-30.
  11. "A panorama in 12 folds showing the procession of the Emperor Bahadur Shah to celebrate the feast of the 'Id. f. 59v-A". British Library. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  12. Virmani, Arundhati (August 1999). "National Symbols under Colonial Domination: The Nationalization of the Indian Flag, March–August 1923". Past & Present. 164 (164): 175–176. doi:10.1093/past/164.1.169. JSTOR 651278.
  13. Roy, Srirupa (August 2006). "A Symbol of Freedom: The Indian Flag and the Transformations of Nationalism, 1906–". Journal of Asian Studies. 65 (3): 498–499. ISSN 0021-9118. OCLC 37893507.
  14. Virmani 1999, pp. 176–177
  15. "A British Empire Flag". The New York Times. The London Express. 9 February 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 20 August 2023 via The New York Times Archives.
  16. Dipesh Navsaria (July 27, 1996). "Indian Flag Proposals". Flags of the World. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  17. "Aam Aadmi Party". aamaadmiparty.org. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  18. "Bahujan Samaj Party: BSP, National Political Party of India". Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  19. "Bharatiya Janata Party".
  20. "Communist Party of India (Marxist)". Communist Party of India (Marxist). Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  21. "Indian National Congress". Indian National Congress. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  22. "National People's Party". NATIONAL PEOPLE'S PARTY. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
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