Introduction
The National Flag of India, known as the Tiranga (meaning 'Tricolor'), is a horizontal rectangular banner featuring three equal stripes of deep saffron, white, and India green. At its center on the white band lies the Ashoka Chakra, a 24-spoke navy blue wheel. Adopted on 22 July 1947, the flag serves as the primary national symbol of the Republic of India, representing its sovereignty and unity.
The flag's design is governed by the Flag Code of India, 2002, which precisely defines its construction, colors, and protocol for display. Its distinctive three-color horizontal layout and central emblem make it one of the most recognizable national flags in the world. The specific shades are officially described as India saffron, India green, and navy blue for the Chakra.
The flag is deeply woven into the nation's identity, flown on government buildings, during national holidays like Republic Day and Independence Day, and by citizens as an expression of patriotism. Its design elegantly balances symbolic meaning with a clean, bold visual structure that is effective at various scales.
Meaning & Symbolism
The colors of the flag carry profound symbolic meaning. The top band of deep saffron represents courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation. The central white band stands for peace, truth, and purity. The bottom band of India green symbolizes faith, fertility, and chivalry.
The Ashoka Chakra at the heart of the white band is the flag's central emblem. This 24-spoke navy blue wheel is derived from the capital of the Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath. It represents the wheel of law (Dharma) and signifies motion, progress, and the eternal cycle of life. The 24 spokes are said to denote the 24 hours of the day, suggesting that the nation should be perpetually in motion towards progress and righteousness.
History of the India Flag
The modern flag's origins lie in the Indian independence movement. An early version, with three stripes and a spinning wheel, was designed by Pingali Venkayya and presented to Mahatma Gandhi in 1921. This evolved into the flag of the Indian National Congress, which featured the charkha (spinning wheel).
Upon approaching independence, the Constituent Assembly formed a committee to finalize the national flag. The design was adopted in its present form on 22 July 1947, just before India's independence on 15 August 1947. The key modification was replacing the charkha with the Ashoka Chakra, to eternalize the legacy of the ancient Emperor Ashoka and his ideals of justice.
Curiosities
- The flag's manufacturing process and materials (khadi, a hand-spun cloth) are strictly regulated by the Bureau of Indian Standards. It is one of the few national flags legally required to be made from a specific type of handloom cloth.
- The Ashoka Chakra on the flag is rendered in a precise navy blue (Pantone 2735 C), and its 24 spokes are designed to appear equally spaced and upright when the flag is hoisted.
- Before 2002, Indian citizens were not allowed to fly the national flag on ordinary days; the Flag Code of India was amended that year to allow all citizens to display it with respect and dignity.
Download Flag
Download the flag of India in high-quality SVG vector format or PNG raster images. SVG files can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
Construction Sheet
The flag's proportions are a length to height ratio of 3:2. The three horizontal bands—saffron, white, and green—are of equal width. The Ashoka Chakra is placed in the center of the white band. The diameter of the Chakra is three-fourths the height of the white band, and it must have precisely 24 spokes.
Flags Similar to India Flag
Niger
also a tricolor with a central circle · orange-white-green with an orange circle
Ireland
vertical tricolor, no emblem
Ivory Coast
orange-white-green, but order is reversed
Common Misidentifications
Occasionally confused with the flag of Niger at a distance due to the similar orange-white-green color scheme and a central circle, though the circle's color and the flag's proportions differ.