# List of Indian flags

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

## National flag

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1947–present | National flag of India | A 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

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1950–1971 | Presidential Standard of India | 1st 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

| Use | Description |
| Civil air ensign | India uses National Flag as Civil air ensign |
| Civil ensign | A Red Ensign with the flag of India in the canton. |
| State ensign | A Blue Ensign with the flag of India in the canton, and a yellow anchor horizontally in the fly. |

### Naval

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 2022–present | Indian Naval Ensign | The 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 Ensign | Naval Reserve Ensign used by auxiliary ships and merchant ships whose captain is a Navy Reserve Officer. |

### Port authorities

* Use
* Ensign of Port of Cochin
* Ensign of Bombay Harbour Trust
* Ensign of Commissioners of the Port of Calcutta

## Military flags
### Indian Armed Forces

| Use | Description |
| Flag of the Indian Armed Forces | A 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 Committee | A red field with the flag of India in the canton, and the tri-service emblem |
| Flag of the Integrated Defence Staff and Vice Chief of 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 |

### Indian Army

| Use | Description |
| Flag of the Indian Army | A red field with the flag of India in the canton, and the Army badge in the fly |
| Flag of the Field Marshal | A 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

   "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."
* Use
* 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

### Indian Navy
#### Current rank flags (2022-present)

| Use | Description |
| 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. |
| Commissioning pennant of the Indian Navy | A white triangular pennant with a gold-bordered octagon enclosing the crest of the Indian Navy in the hoist. |
| President's Colour of the Indian Navy | Indian Naval ensign with State Emblem of India. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Flag of the Rear 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. |
| 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. |

#### Former rank flags (1950-2001; 2004-2022)

| Date | Use | Description |
| 1950-2001 | Indian Naval Ensign | A red cross on a white field, with the Indian national flag in the canton. |
| 2004–2014 | Indian Naval Ensign | A red cross on a white field, with the Indian state emblem in yellow at the center, with the Indian national flag in the canton. |
| 2014–2022 | Indian Naval Ensign | A red cross on a white field, with the Indian state emblem in yellow at the center with the motto Satyamev Jayate below, and the Indian national flag in the canton. |
| 1951-2022 | President's Colour | Indian Naval ensign with Presidential Standard elephant. |
| | Commissioning pennant | A white triangular pennant with at hoist the St. George's red cross defaced with the Ashoka Chakra. |
| | Flag of the Admiral (was only used by Chief of the Naval Staff) | |
| | Flag of the Vice Admiral (also Vice Chief of the Naval Staff) | |
| | Flag of the Rear Admiral | |
| | Flag of the Commodore | |
| | Flag of the Senior officer | |

#### Former rank flags (2001-2004)

| Date | Use | Description |
| 2001–2004 | Flag of the Indian Navy | A blue-colored crest of the Indian Navy set upon a white background, with the flag of India placed in the canton. |
| 2001–2004 | Commissioning pennant of the Indian Navy | |
| 2001–2004 | Flag of Admiral of the Fleet of the Indian Navy | Never used. |
| 2001–2004 | Flag of Admiral of the Indian Navy | |
| 2001–2004 | Flag of Vice Admiral of the Indian Navy | |
| 2001–2004 | Flag of Rear Admiral of the Indian Navy | |
| 2001–2004 | Flag of Commodore of the Indian Navy | |
| 2001–2004 | Flag of Senior Officer of the Indian Navy | |

### Indian Air Force
#### Current rank flags (1980-present)

| Use | Description |
| Flag of the Indian Air Force | A sky-blue ensign with the flag of India in the canton, the Air Force roundel in the lower fly, and the IAF badge in the upper fly. |
| President's Colour of the Indian Air Force | Air Force ensign with Presidential Standard elephant. |
| Flag of the Marshal of the Indian Air Force | Sky blue flag with the badge of the IAF in the center, and 5 five-pointed gold stars in a vertical line in the fly. Only one person has ever been granted the right to this flag. |
| Flag of the Air Chief Marshal (rank currently reserved for the Chief of the Air Staff) | Sky blue flag with the national flag in the canton, the IAF roundel in the lower fly, the IAF badge in the upper fly, and 5 five-pointed gold stars in a vertical line in the fly.. |
| Flag of the Air Marshal (also Vice Chief of the Air Staff) | Sky blue flag with IAF roundel in the center surmounted by eagle; 3 five-pointed gold stars in a vertical line in the fly. |
| Flag of the Air Vice Marshal | Sky blue flag with IAF roundel in the center surmounted by eagle; 2 five-pointed gold stars in a vertical line in the fly. |
| Flag of the Air Commodore | Sky blue flag with IAF roundel in the center surmounted by eagle; 1 five-pointed gold star in the fly. |
| Flag of the Group Captain | Flag of Sky blue triangular pennant with IAF roundel in the center surmounted by eagle. |
| Flag of the Wing Commander | Sky blue triangular pennant with IAF roundel in the center. |

#### Former rank flags (till 2023)

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1950-2023 | Flag of the Indian Air Force | A sky-blue ensign with the flag of India in the canton, and the Air Force roundel in the fly. |
| | 1980-2023 | Flag of the Air Chief Marshal (was only used by Chief of the Air Staff) | Sky blue flag with the national flag in the canton, the IAF roundel in the lower fly, and the IAF badge in the upper fly. |

#### Former rank flags (1950-1980)

The former IAF rank flags were modeled on those of the Royal Air Force, with different colours.
| Date | Use | Description |
| 1950–1980 | Marshal of the Indian Air Force | Never used. |
| 1950–1980 | Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force | Sky blue bordered with two thick golden yellow stripes and with two thick horizontal green stripes in the center. |
| 1950–1980 | Air Marshal of the Indian Air Force | Sky blue flag bordered with two thick horizontal golden yellow stripes, with one thick horizontal green stripe in the center. |
| 1950–1980 | Air Vice Marshal of the Indian Air Force | Sky blue flag bordered with two thick horizontal golden yellow stripes, with two thin horizontal green stripes in the center. |
| 1950–1980 | Air Commodore of the Indian Air Force | Swallowtail sky blue pennant bordered with two thick horizontal golden yellow stripes, with one thin horizontal green stripe in the center. |
| 1950–1980 | Group Captain of the Indian Air Force | Triangular sky blue pennant bordered in golden yellow, with one thick horizontal green stripe in the center. |
| 1950–1980 | Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force | Triangular sky blue pennant bordered in golden yellow, with two thin horizontal green stripes in the center. |
| 1950–1980 | Squadron Leader of the Indian Air Force | Sky blue flag bordered with two thick horizontal golden yellow stripes, with one thin horizontal green stripe in the center surmounted by an eagle in green. Below the stripe is the squadron number. |

### Coast Guard

| Use | Description |
| Flag of the Indian Coast Guard | A 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 Guard | A 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

| Use | Description |
| Flag of Assam Rifles | |
| Flag of Rashtriya Rifles | |
| Flag of Central Reserve Police Force | |
| Flag of Central Industrial Security Force | |
| Flag of Railway Protection Force | Link 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

* Use
* Flag of Territorial Army
* Flag of National Cadet Corps
* Flag of Border Roads Organisation

## Former Flags of Indian Armed Forces
### (British) Indian Army

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1942–1947 | Ensign of the British Indian Army | Red field emblazoned with Star of India crossed by two swords and beneath the Tudor Crown. |
| | 1878–1947 | Flag of the Indian Army Service Corps | A 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

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1945-1947 | Ensign of the Royal Indian Air Force | A 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

| Date | Use | Description |
| 1863–1947 | 1877–1892 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. |
| 1884–1928 | 1884–1892 Naval jack of Her Majesty's Indian Marine 1892–1928: Naval jack of the Royal Indian Marine | The Union Jack with blue border. |
| 1928–1950 | 1928–1934: Ensign of the Royal Indian Marine 1934–1950: Ensign of the Royal Indian Navy | The White Ensign of the Royal Navy. |
| 1954–1955 | 1954–1955: 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. |
| 1934–1958 | 1934–1948: 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. |
| 1928–1958 | 1928–1932: 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. 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. The Flag code of India also permits other flags to be flown with the Flag of India, but not on the same flag pole or in a superior position to the national flag.

### 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.
| Flag | State | Usage date | Description |
| | Jammu and Kashmir | 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. |
| | Jammu and Kashmir | 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. |

### Proposed state flags

Flags have been proposed for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, but neither were officially adopted.
| Flag | State | Date | Use | Description |
| | Tamil Nadu | Proposed in 1970 | The Government of Tamil Nadu proposed a design for a state flag in 1970. | 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. | 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 or blue field.

## Historical flags
### Indian polities

| Duration | Use | Description |
| 1320–1413 | Flag of the Tughlaq dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate according to the Catalan Atlas, but there is no evidence this was actually used by the Delhi Sultanate. | A gray flag with a black strip left of center. |
| 1490–1636 | Flag of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate | A dark green triangular swallowtailed field. |
| 1518–1687 | Flag of the Golconda Sultanate | A turquoise field. |
| 1526–1858 | Flag of the Mughal Empire (Alam) | A flag that was primarily moss green. |
| 1674–1818 | Flag of the Maratha Empire (Bhagwa Dhwaj) | A saffron colored swallowtail flag. |
| 1716–1799 | Flag of The Sikh Confederacy | Flag 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. |
| 1799–1849 | Flag of the Sikh Empire (Nishan Sahib) | A triangular flag that was saffron with a green border. |

### Colonial India
#### British rule in India

| Duration | Use | Description |
| 1880–1947 | Civil 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. |
| 1885–1947 | Flag of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India | The Union Jack defaced with the insignia of the Order of the Star of India beneath the Tudor Crown. |
| 1858–1947 | The official state flag of the British Empire used in India | The Flag of the United Kingdom. |
| 1801–1858 | Flag of the East India Company | A striped banner with the Union Jack in the canton. |
| 1707–1801 | Flag of the East India Company | A striped banner with the Union Jack of Great Britain in the canton. |
| 1600–1707 | Flag of the East India Company | A striped banner with Saint George's Cross in the canton. |

##### Princely states
#### French India

| Date | Use | Description |
| 1667–1791 | Flag of the Kingdom of France | Flag of the Kingdom of France. |
| 1791–1794 | 1791–1792: 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 Restoration | Flag of the Kingdom of France. |
| 1794–1804, 1830–1940, 1944–1954 | 1794–1804: 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. |
| 1940–1944 | Flag of French India under Free France | Flag of Free France with the Cross of Lorraine |

#### Portuguese India

| Date | Use | Description |
| 1497–1521 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal. | |
| 1578–1616 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal. | |
| 1616–1640 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal. | |
| 1640–1667 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal. | |
| 17th and 18th centuries | Portuguese Indian Naval Ensign. | |
| 1667–1706 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal. | |
| 18th century | Portuguese Indian Merchant Ensign |
| 1706–1750 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal. | |
| 1816–1826 | Flag of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. | |
| 1826–1830 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal. | |
| 1830–1910 | Flag 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

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

### Danish India

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1620–1869 | The flag of Denmark (Denmark-Norway until 1814) | |

### Swedish India

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1731–1813 | The flag of Sweden | |

#### Austrian India

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1778–1785 | The flag of Archduchy of Austria | |

### Indian independence movement
#### Flags used in the Indian independence movement

| Date | Use | Description |
| 1906 | Calcutta flag | Three 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. |
| 1907 | Early Indian nationalist flags | |
| 1917 | Flag of the Home Rule Movement | 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. |
| 1931–1947 | The 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 | |
| 1942–1945 | Flag of the Indian Legion of the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany | Three horizontal strips of saffron, white, and green, with a springing tiger in the centre. |

#### Proposed flags

| Date | Use | Description |
| 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 | 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 1910 | Flag proposed in an issue of an Anglo-Indian weekly. | 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. |
| 1921 | Mahatma Gandhi's Original Proposal | |
| 1921 | Gandhi's flag, introduced at the Indian National Congress meeting in 1921 | |
| 1932 | Proposed flag for Portuguese India, designed by Afonso de Ornelas. | |
| 1947 | Louis Mountbatten's proposed flag for India. | The Swaraj flag with a small Union Flag in the canton. |
| 1965 | Proposed 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

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1947–1950 | Flag of the Dominion of India | A 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. |
| | 1947–1950 | Flag of the governor-general of India | Dark 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
* Aam Aadmi Party
* Bahujan Samaj Party
* Bharatiya Janata Party
* Communist Party of India (Marxist)
* Indian National Congress
* National People's Party

## House Flags

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