India Flag

India's Tiranga (tricolour) has three equal horizontal bands: saffron (top), white (middle), and green (bottom). At the centre of the white stripe is the Ashoka Chakra — a navy blue 24-spoked wheel representing the eternal wheel of law (dharma).

The Chakra is taken from the Lion Capital of Ashoka, a 3rd-century BC pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka. It is identical to the wheel on the national emblem, symbolising the principle of "movement in virtue."

Pingali Venkayya designed the prototype for the Indian National Congress flag in 1921. The saffron-white-green scheme replaced earlier Congress designs, and the spinning wheel (charkha) — Mahatma Gandhi's symbol of self-reliance — was the original centre symbol.

Upon independence on 15 August 1947, the spinning wheel was replaced by the Ashoka Chakra to represent the nation's ancient heritage rather than a partisan political symbol. The flag was officially adopted on 22 July 1947.