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Before the independence of [[India]], the [[Indian subcontinent]] did not have a single national flag but rather several political entities of varying sizes had their own flags. Historic polities usually did not have a national flag but rather flags for their dynasty, state and armies.

== Flags of historical polities ==

=== Medieval and early modern India ===
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
|-
! style="width:100px;" |Flag!! style="width:100px;" |Duration!! style="width:250px;" |Use!! style="min-width:250px" |Description
!References
|-
| [[File:Delhi Sultanate Flag.svg|border|150px]] || 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.
|<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kadoi |first=Yuka |date=2010 |title=On the Timurid flag |url=https://www.academia.edu/17410816/_On_the_Timurid_flag_in_Beitr%C3%A4ge_zur_islamischen_Kunst_und_Arch%C3%A4ologie_Band_2_Wiesbaden_Reichert_2010_pp_143_62 |journal=Beiträge zur islamischen Kunst und Archäologie |location=Wiesbaden |publisher=Reichert |volume=2 |pages=143–62 |doi=10.29091/9783954909537/009}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Blood Flag.svg|border|150x150px]]
|1320–1323
1339–1589
|Flag of the [[Kashmir Sultanate]].
|A red rectangular flag.
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dutt |first=Jogesh Chunder |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.38805 |title=Rajatarangini Of Jonaraja |date=1898}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Qutbshahi Flag.svg|border|150x150px]]
|1518–1687
|Flag of the [[Sultanate of Golconda|Qutb Shahi Dynasty]] of the [[Sultanate of Golconda]].
|A teal rectangular flag.
|<ref>{{Cite journal |date=October 2010 |title=Editorial Board |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/1528817x.2010.643589 |journal=Journal of Islamic Law and Culture |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=ebi–ebi |doi=10.1080/1528817x.2010.643589 |issn=1528-817X|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Flag of the Mughal Empire.png|border|150x150px]]
|?
| rowspan="3" |The various flags of the [[Mughal Empire]].
|Sun and Tiger flag of the [[Mughal Empire]].
|
|-
|[[File:Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg|border|150x150px]]
|1526–1857
|Alam of the [[Mughal Empire]].
|-
|[[File:Shah Jahan Flag.png|border|150x150px]]
|?
|Flag of the [[List of emperors of the Mughal Empire|Mughal Emperor]] [[Shah Jahan]].
|
|-
|[[File:Flag of Jaipur (c. 1699-1818).svg|border|150x150px]]
|<abbr>c.</abbr>1699–1818
|Flag of the [[Kingdom of Amber]].
|
|
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg|border|150px]]|| 1674–1818 || The ''[[Saffron (color)|Bhagwa Dhwaj]]'', Flag of the [[Maratha Empire]]. || A [[Saffron (color)|saffron]] colored [[Swallowtail (flag)|swallowtail]] flag.
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-12-01 |title=File:Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg – Wikipedia |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Maratha_Empire.svg |access-date=2025-08-31 |website=commons.wikimedia.org |language=en}}</ref>
|}

=== Modern India ===
''For the flags of [[princely state]]s, see [[Flags of Indian princely states]].''
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Flag
!Duration
!Use
!Description
!References
|-
|[[File:British_Raj_Red_Ensign.svg|border|150x150px]]
|1880–1947
|[[Star of India (flag)|Civil Ensign of India]] used sometimes to represent [[British Raj|India]] internationally.
|A [[Red Ensign]] with the Union Jack at the canton, defaced with the [[Star of India (flag)#Emblem|Star of India emblem]] displayed in the fly.
|<ref>{{Cite news |title=Flag – Indian flag, 1945 circa |url=https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5a31122a21ea670f0cbbc11b |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013165244/https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5a31122a21ea670f0cbbc11b |archive-date=2023-10-13 |access-date=2025-08-31 |work=Victorian Collections |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:1931_Flag_of_India.svg|border|150x150px]]
|1943–1945{{efn|Used from 1931–1947 by the Indian National Congress.}}
|The ''[[Swaraj]]'' Flag, [[de facto]] flag of the [[Azad Hind]].
|Three horizontal strips of saffron, white and green with a blue chakra in the centre.
|
|}

== Flags of military of historical polities ==

=== Modern India ===

==== British Raj (1858-1947) ====
{| class="wikitable"
! style="width:110px;" |Flag
! style="width:100px;" |Date
! style="width:250px;" |Use
! style="width:250px;" |Description
|-
|[[File:Flag_of_Imperial_India.svg|border|150x150px]]
|1877–1947
|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.
|-
|[[File:Ensign_of_the_Royal_Indian_Army_Service_Corps.svg|border|150x150px]]
|1760–1947
|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.
|-
|[[File:Naval_Jack_of_Royal_Indian_Marine.svg|border|150x150px]]
|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.
|-
|[[File:Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg|border|150x150px]]
|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]].
|-
|[[File:Flag_of_Rear-Admiral_-_Royal_Navy.svg|border|150x150px]]
|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]].
|-
|[[File:Flag_of_Vice-Admiral_-_Royal_Navy.svg|border|150x150px]]
|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]].
|-
|[[File:Flag_of_the_Royal_Indian_Army.svg|border|150x150px]]
|1942–1947
|Ensign of the [[British Indian Army]].
|Red field emblazoned with [[Star of India (flag)#Emblem|Star of India]] crossed by two swords and beneath the [[Tudor Crown]].
|-
|[[File:Air_Force_Ensign_of_India_(1945–1947).svg|border|150x150px]]
|1945-1947
|Ensign of the [[Royal Indian Air Force]]
|A field of [[air force blue]] with the United Kingdom's [[Flag of the United Kingdom|flag]] in the canton and the Royal Indian Air Force's [[Royal Air Force roundels|roundel]] in the fly.
|-
|[[File:Flag_of_Admiral_-_Royal_Navy.svg|border|150x150px]]
|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]].
|}

==== Azad Hind (1943-1945) ====
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Flag
!Date
!Use
!Description
|-
|[[File:Flag of the Indian Legion.svg|border|150x150px]]
|1942-1945
|Flag of the [[Indian Legion]], in [[Nazi Germany]]. Part of the [[Wehrmacht|German Wehrmacht]] and later the [[Waffen-SS|Waffen SS]].
|3 horizontal strips, top being saffron, middle being white and lowest being green with a sprinting tiger in center and ''[[Azad Hind]]'' written on the flag.
|}

== Proposed flags of Indian polities ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:110px;" |Flag!! style="width:100px;" |Date!! style="width:250px;" |Use!! style="width:250px;" |Description
!References
|-
|[[File:1902 British Empire flag proposal (in India).svg|border|150x150px]]
|1902
|Design reported in the Daily Express to have been proposed as part of a series of [[British Empire flag|Empire flags]] that would replace the Union Jack in representing individual territories of the British Empire
|The [[Saint George's Cross|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]]."
|<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 February 1902 |title=A British Empire Flag |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1902/02/09/archives/a-british-empire-flag-a-design-is-preparing-for-a-new-ensign-to.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=The New York Times |pages=3 |via=The New York Times Archives |agency=The London Express}}</ref>
|-
| [[File:Proposed flag of India (1904).svg|border|150px]] || 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.
|<ref name="auto1">{{cite web |author=Dipesh Navsaria |date=July 27, 1996 |title=Indian Flag Proposals |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/in!.html |access-date=March 14, 2020 |work=Flags of the World}}</ref>
|-
| [[File:Gandhi's Original Flag of India Proposal.svg|border|150px]] || 1921 || [[Mahatma Gandhi|Mahatma Gandhi's]] Original Proposal. ||Two strips of Green and Red with a spinning wheel in center.
|
|-
| [[File:1921 India flag.svg|border|150px]] || 1921 || [[Gandhi]]'s flag, introduced at the [[Indian National Congress]] meeting in 1921. ||Three strips of White, Green and red with a spinning wheel in center.
|
|-
| [[File:Flag of Portuguese India (1932 proposal).svg|border|150px]] || 1932 || Proposed flag of [[Portuguese India]]. ||Designed by Afonso de Ornelas.
|
|-
| [[File:Mountbatten Proposed Flag of India.svg|border|150px]] || 1947 || [[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|Louis Mountbatten]]'s proposed flag for India. || The Swaraj flag with a small [[Union Flag]] in the canton.
|<ref name="auto1" />
|-
| [[File:Flag of Portuguese India (1965 proposal).svg|border|150px]] || 1965 || Proposed official flag for Portuguese India in 1965. The proposal came after the [[Annexation of Goa|annexation]] of the territories in 1961 and was part of a series of similar flags for the [[Portuguese Empire|other colonies]]. || Proposal by F. P. de Almeida Langhans. Never actually used.
|
|}

== Flags used in the Indian Independence Movement ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:110px;" |Flag !! style="width:100px;" |Date !! style="width:250px;" |Use !! style="width:250px;" |Description
!References
|-
| [[File:Flag of India 1906 (Calcutta Flag).svg|border|150px]] || 1906 || The [[Calcutta flag|''Calcutta Flag'']], used in the [[Swadeshi movement|Swadeshi Movement]]. || Three horizontal bands of equal 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 ({{IAST|''[[Vande Mātaram]]''}}) was inscribed in the centre in [[Devanagari]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Virmani|first=Arundhati | title=National Symbols under Colonial Domination: The Nationalization of the Indian Flag, March–August 1923| jstor=651278 | date=August 1999| journal=Past & Present |issue=164 | pages=175–176 | doi=10.1093/past/164.1.169}}</ref>
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
| [[File:Flag of India 1907 (Nationalists Flag).svg|border|150px]] || rowspan="2" |1907 || rowspan="2" |Alternative versions of the ''[[Calcutta flag|Calcutta Flag]]''. ||Three horizontal bands, top being green, middle being yellow and lowest being red. It has lotus flower on the top stripe.
|
|-
| [[File:1907-India-flag.svg|border|150px]] ||Three horizontal bands, top being blue, middle being yellow and lowest being red. It has stars on the top stripe.
|
|-
| [[File:Flag of India 1917.svg|150px]] || 1917 || Flag of the [[Indian Home Rule Movement|Home Rule Movement]] || Five red and four green horizontal stripes<br />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 [[Hindu]]s.
|
|-
| [[File:1931 Flag of India.svg|border|150px]] || 1931–1947 || The ''[[Swaraj]]'' Flag, officially adopted by the [[Indian National Congress]] in 1931. Also used by [[Azad Hind]]. ||Three horizontal strips of saffron, white and green with a blue chakra in the centre.
|
|}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:India-related lists]]
[[Category:Cultural history of India]]
[[Category:Flags of India]]

Historical Indian flags - Revision history

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