The use of the flag in warfare and ceremonials had become a standard practice in ancient and medieval India. It continued to be so in the British period. The advent of the British trader on the Indian political scene, however, gave a new meaning to the flag, reflecting European traditions. It came to denote a flag, banner, colour, standard of guidon under which the Company’s cavalry and infantry troops joined battle. A new vocabulary and new rules and protocols came into vogue.

The roots of the British military flags i.e. standards, guidons and colours are traceable to Greek and Roman history. It was, however, in the early medieval period that their use became imperative when heavy body armour made the recognition of warriors almost impossible. To allow their followers to identify them in battle, the leaders bore the ensigns of heraldry about their person on their shields, on their armorial banners and pennons attached to their lances and floating in the wind high above their heads. The banners borne in the Battle of Hastings in 1066 AD and the Battle of Standards in 1138 AD provide some definite indications of their use.

The use of the flag as a distinguishing mark of warriors and troops continued in the medieval period. The Red Cross of St George, the banner of the English troops during the Crusades, also served as a distinguishing mark. The modernisation of armies necessitated some systematisation in the use and display of flags and this was to an extent achieved by the early seventeenth century. "Animade versions of War" by Ward published in 1639 is a reliable guide on the subject. In the chapter dealing with the "office and duty of a colonel of a regiment" it is said that "he ought have all the colours of his Regiment to be alike both in colour and in fashion to avoid confusion so that the soldiers may discern their own regiment from other troops, likewise, every particular captain of the Regiment may have some small distinction in their colours... so that one company may be discerned from another."

Regimental colours as we know them today, however, came into use in the civil war of 1642-50 and like all previous battle flags were the personal banners of the officers who raised the battalions or companies. Generally speaking, the armies bore one standard per troop of cavalry and one colour per company of infantry. As there were ten or more companies to a battalion, with special flags for the Colonel, the Lieutenant Colonel, the Major and all the Captains it may be imagined what an array of colours was to be seen during a battle. The regiments connected with royalty bore royal badges in their colours whereas the other regiments carried the Colonel’s badge.

This was the time when the English traders made their appearance on the Indian coast. These traders used a trademark or nishan for the purpose of trade and the same was borne by the company troops on their flags. Captain James’s "Military Costumes of India" includes a flag with the merchant’s trademark.

In the earliest phase of the Company’s rule in India, the troops were organised in three presidential armies, those of Bengal, Madras and Bombay. The scheme of colours carried by these armies followed the British pattern. Abraham Shipman’s Regiment, raised in 1662 AD for the King’s service in East India, subsequently associated with the Bombay Presidency, possessed four silk colours. Each of the four companies of the regiment bore a colour. The other troops in the Company’s service also carried colours. As early as 1755, each Company of the Madras Sepoys employed two colourmen. Companies of the Bengal Native Infantry were also provided with a stand of colours. In the centre of the colours was placed the Subedar’s device such as sabre, a dagger or a crescent. Morgan-Ki-Paltan, raised in 1673 as a new corps of Bengal Army, carried the flag of St George as its colour.

The Royal Warrant of July 1751 issued to systematise the use and display of colours in the British army is significant in this context. It reduced the number of colours with regiments to two viz King’s and Regimental, respectively and forbade Colonels from putting their devices on the colours and determined the shape and size of the colours. Consquently, the system of Company colours was abandoned and the custom of carrying a pair or stand of colours by each battalion adopted in the Presidency armies of India.

But more than anything else it was the Military Consultations Bengal, 1781 which laid down detailed regulations with regard to the use and make of the regimental colours of the British Indian forces. It stated that "the first colour of each battalion shall be great union throughout and the second, the colour of the facing of the regiment; except those regiments which were faced with black, which shall have a white field with the union in the upper canton. The number of the regiment shall be embroidered in gold Roman letters within the wreath in the centre of the middle colour of each battalion."

The system thus prescribed, with certain modifications from time to time, has remained the basis of the colours of the Indian Army. In short, the colours carried by the regiments were two— one the flag of the state the and other its own colour. The former, ie the King’s colour, was generally the state flag (Union Jack) occasionally imbibed with the number of the regiment and mounted by a crown. The latter was also patterned on a certain uniform system, though distinctions as regards the tint of the cloth, the form of the wealth, the inclusion of the Union Jack in it, the design of inscribing the battle honours etc are noticeable. Yet, in every regimental colour the basic design is the same. The background colour differs from unit to unit, depending upon the colour of the facings of the uniform. On this are inscribed the name and number of the regiment in the centre inside a wreath. Round this wreath the battle honours are inscribed in scrolls. But there was no uniformity about these because the number of scrolls depended on the number of honours.

Subsequent to the transfer of power from the Company to the Crown some changes took place in the military flags of India as well. A major change was the substitution of the ‘Royal Crown’ for the East India Company’s crest - ‘a Lion Passant Regardant holding a Crown’ in 1867. Hereafter the union wreath also became universal and the deviation like the one of oak-leaf wreath with the Bengal Native Infantry discontinued. The system has remained almost the same since then.

The Rifle Corps did not carry colours owing to their special service condition. An infantry regiment which changed over to rifles discontinued the use of colours.

We have seen above that the infantry regiments were entitled to the use of two colours viz the King’s colour and the regimental colour. Certain regiments of army, however, possessed an additional colour which they carried during parade. To put a stop to this, an army order was issued in 1933 which forbade the use of the third colour by the battalion of the infantry of the line.

As the colours are to the infantry so are the standards to the cavalry. The evolution of both progressed on almost similar lines. The antiquity of Indian cavalry standards goes back to 1784 when four regiments of the Nawab of Arcot were taken over by the Company and provided with standards.

In the early stages each cavalry regiment was allowed three standards, one for each squadron. The first squadron standard, also called the Royal Standard, was dark blue with Royal arms in the centre and small union in the upper corner next to the staff. The second squadron standard was crimson with the East India Company’s arms embroidered in the centre. The third squadron standard was of the colour of the regimental facing with union wreath bearing the number of the squadron in the centre. There were four small wreaths in the four corners of the standard for appropriate use. The system applied to all the cavalry regiments with minor variations. With the Madras Army the first or the King’s standard was crimson but it was blue in respect of Bengal and Bombay Armies. The second and third standards in respect of the Madras Army were of the colour of the facing unlike the Bengal Army which had it crimson.

Honorary standards and colours in recognition of distinguished service were gratned to the regiments by the East India Company. The 35th Scinde Horse and 26th Jacob’s Horse were honoured this way for their services in Sindh in 1843. Later, the Poona Horse was authorised to carry a standard surmounted by a silver hand bearing a Persian inscription. The practice of granting honorary standard was subsequently discontinued.

Standards as also the colours bear battle honours in the form of names of action or campaign. The practice started in late eighteenth century with the grant of honour "Emsdroff" to 15th King’s
Light Dragoons. The custom subsequently came into vogue in India as well.

In 1864, it was decided that standards should be abolished in the Native cavalry. Regiments in possession of standards were allowed to retain them but they were not in future to be carried on parade or to the field, nor were any to be issued to regiments not possessing them. Consequent to this, the appointment of Nishanbardar ceased and all existing ones were regarded as Lance-Dafadars.

In the forties, the custom of granting standards to the squadron of the Royal Indian Air Force also came into vogue. The institution of squadron standard accepted by the Indian Air Force is based on the British usage.

Besides the cavalry standards and infantry colours there was another group of flags which may be called the Services’ Flags. These represented the three Services ie Army, Navy and the Air Force. Of these, Army flag comprising the Royal crest, a crowned lion standing on a Royal crown placed at the junction of crossed sword on a red field was introduced in the Indian Army in 1940. After its introduction in the British Army in 1938, the Indian Army also adopted it.

This new pattern of flag distinguishing army was introduced in two sizes (12in × 6in and 6in × 3in) for use by different formations. The larger size was to be displayed at Command and Western (I) District Headquarters on occasions of purely military character. Smaller size was to be displayed at all recruiting offices. On occasions when representative matches were being played, the sports associations could also use it. The crest on the Army flag could be used by units and formations on christmas and invitation cards etc. Hereafter, the PSO’s cars and mounted orderlies were to bear the flags of the new colour with the new Army crest superimposed.

After India became independent some modifications were introduced in the Army flag. The British Crown was replaced by the Ashoka Lions and the Tricolour was depicted in the first quarter of the flag. The crossed swords and red colour were, however, retained.

The Royal Indian Navy also used the white ensign of the Royal Navy. It comprised the Red Cross of Saint George on a white field with the Union Jack in the upper canton. This white ensign flew at the ensign staff at the stern of the ship after India became a Republic. This ensign I was retained by the Indian Navy with some minor modifications. The union Jack in the upper canton was replaced by the Tricolour thus giving it an Indian look.

The Indian Air Force also had no flag of its own in the beginning but used the Royal Air Force flag. In 1942, it was presented with a distinguishing ensign of light blue with the Union Jack in the upper canton. It bore red and white and blue roundel superimposed on a five pointed diamond star in half-way from the staff. After India became a Republic the Union Jack was replaced by the Indian national flag, the five pointed star was left out and the colour of the roundel was changed from blue white and red to green, white and saffron corresponding to the colours of the national flag.

Another class of flags in vogue with the Indian Army is called distinguishing flags or rank flags. These had become common by the first quarter of the 20th century. In 1921, the following flags were flown on motor cars by officers on duty: The Commander-in-Chief : Union Jack, General Officer Commanding- in Chief : Black Cross on red round and General Officer Commanding District : Red pennant.

In 1924, a French grey flag with a black cross superimposed was introduced for the Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters. In 1925, some more changes were introduced and the undermentioned flags were authorised to be flown on motor cars or carried by mounted orderlies : the Commander-in-Chief: Flag Union, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief : flag distinguishing Headquarters of an army (red, black, red), Principal Staff Officers at Army Headquarters : French grey, General Officers Commanding Districts - flag distinguishing Division (red swallow tail), DA and QMG and the senior GSO in a Command : flag distinghishing HQ of an Army (red, black, red) at the discretion of the GOC-in-C and Brigade Commander : flag distinguishing Brigade (blue pennant). The size of the flags mentioned above was 9 inches by 6 inches for carriage on motor cars and 18 inches by 21 inches for carriage by mounted orderlies.

This system of distinguishing flags continued in use with minor changes till 1940. In this year, the Army flag was introduced and the rules governing its use and display declared the existing patterns of Principal/Staff Officers’ flag obsolete and introduced a new scarlet flag with Army crest superimposed on it.

After India became independent these distinguishing flags continued in use except for some minor changes in rules governing their use and display. Broadly speaking, the flags of the officers of the rank of General and Lieutenant General are rectangular, for Major General swallow tail and for Brigadier, pennant. The appointment in all cases is indicated by the formation sign indicated on the flag. The use of the British Crown on the flags wherever it occurred had been dropped. Creation of some new appointments such as Field Marshal and Vice Chief of the Army Staff led to the introduction of some new distinguishing flags.

The officers of the Royal Indian Navy also displayed distinguishing flags. Admiral, Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral used a rectangular white flag with a red cross. The Vice Admiral’s flag was marked by a red ball in the first quarter. The Rear Admiral’s flag had one red ball each in the first and second quarter. Commodore 1st Class used a white swallow tail flag with a red cross on it. Commodore 2nd Class used a similar flag with a red ball in the first quarter. It is notable that all the ships in commission when commanded by an officer of the flag rank, displayed the officer’s rank flag at the main masthead. These distinguishing flags have also been adopted by the Indian Navy with the change that in all flags a dharma-chakra is depicted at the centre of the red cross.

Like the officers of the other two sister services, the officers of the Royal Indian Air Force also used distinguishing flags. Air Marshal used a rectangular flag with five horizontal stripes in the order : red sky-blue, green, sky-blue and red. The flag of Air Vice Marshal was similar excepting that it bore two thin green stripes instead of one in the centre. Air Commodores’ flag was exactly like that of the Air Marshal’s excepting that it was swallow tail. Group Captains’ flag was a pennant with a similar combination of colours. Wing Commander’s flag was similar to that of the Group Captain excepting that it bore two horizontal green lines instead of one in the centre. Indian Air Froce has now adopted a completely new pattern of distinguishing flags.

The flag of the Chief of the Air Staff is now a sky blue rectangular representing the national flag in the first quarter, the Air Force crest in the third quarter and the Air Force target in the fourth quarter. The Air Marshal’s flag is also a sky-blue rectangle with the Air Force target surmounted by the Air Force Eagle in the centre and three stars in the fly. The flags of Air Vice Marshal and Air Commodore are also similar excepting that they bear two and one stars respectively in their fly. The flag of Group Captain is a sky-blue pennant with the target superimposed by Eagle in the centre. The Wing Commander’s flag is also similar but it bears a simple target in the centre.

There are some interesting customs related to the use and display of colours. These pertain to the consecration, lodging or trooping and laying up. Before being put to use, a colour is consecrated at a special religious ceremony which is usually performed during the parade at which the colour is presented. This is connected with the age-old connection of colours with the Church. Lodging or trooping is one of the most fascinating rituals associated with the colours. Originally it was a simple affair connected with the lodging of the colour at the end of the fighting or parade. Gradually it became elaborate. In 1755, the ceremony was associated with the Guard Mounting Parade of the Foot Guards to lend colour to the occasion. The term ‘trooping’ was substituted for ‘lodging’ at a later date as the music played at the lodging was called ‘troop’.

The custom of disposing of old colours is known as ‘laying up’ ceremony. It is as impressive as the consecration ceremony. In the beginning, the disposal of unserviceable standards, guidons and colours was the responsibility of the Commanding Officer of the regiment but the Clothing Regulation of 1898 made it a state affair. The King’s Regulations (reprint 1945) para 940 reads : "Old standards, guidons and colours remain the property of the state. After replacement, they will be laid up in a church or other public building.... They will not be otherwise disposed of without War Office sanction." Such a ceremony to lay up King’s colours was held in 1949 at the Armed Forces Academy, Dehradun now known as Indian Military Academy.

The office of the standard bearer commanded a great respect. Rules were framed from time to time to regulate the functioning of this office. The loss of colour meant a great humiliation and no sacrifice was considered too great to protect it from falling into enemy hands. Annals of war are replete with examples where the incumbent of the office of the standard-bearer paid dearly for the trust reposed in it. At the end of the 19th century, the use of colours and standards in war was discontinued as the price paid for them in terms of human life much outweighed their utility. The last occasion when these were seen on the battlefield was the January 26, 1881 when carried in action by 58th Foot. The Indian Army also followed the British usage in this respect.

In conclusion, it may be stated that colours and standards were objects of great respect among the troops. In fact, the oath of fidelity was administered to each recruit before the regimental colour. It was the highest punishment for a regiment to be deprived of its colours.