Explained: The Regimental Colours of the Indian Army, its importance and history

What is the tradition?

The origin of Colours in the military is as old as the service itself. In ancient India, the armies of various Kings carried the ‘Dhwaj’ or the flag whenever it went into a battle. That is an equivalent to the Colours of today. The same is also true for the military traditions of ancient Egypt or Rome where the armies carried flags and the ‘Roman Eagle’ into battle.

These Colours of the armies used to be a form of recognition in the battlefield which acted as a rallying point for the soldiers and gave an indication to the Generals commanding the Army as to where his troops might be located.

The book, Customs and Etiquette in the Services, written by Major General RK Arora and Colonel HR Roach, says: “Colours are symbolic of the spirit of the regiment. They are an epitome of the regiment’s history and commemorate some of the gallant deeds accomplished by the regiment.”

In India, as well as many Commonwealth nations, the tradition of Colours has been drawn from the British Army. Traditionally, there have been four kinds of insignia associated with Colours —Standards, Guidons, Colours and Banners. The Infantry regiments, army establishments, and Naval and Air Force units are all awarded Colours by the President while the Armoured Regiments are awarded the Standards. The battle honours of the regiments are emblazoned on the Colours and therefore serve as a link to the regiment’s past.

The only exception is the Regiment of Artillery. In Artillery, the guns are considered to be the Colours and losing a gun in battle is akin to losing the Colour of the entire regiment.

What is a Standard?

In the ages, the Standard was the largest flag flown by the Armies. While the Colours were taken into battle, the middle Standard was not. As the name implies, it was supposed to ‘Stand’ in one place. Military historians accept that the practice of carrying a Standard to mark the position of the Commander originated in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. The practice was formalised in the medieval armies of Europe. The armoured regiments are awarded the Standard while the infantry regiments are awarded Colours. In addition, Rifle regiments do not carry Colours into battle. These regiments were supposed to skirmish ahead of the main body of troops and were, therefore, supposed to have speed in their action and remain concealed. As such, they did not carry Colours but their Colours and Battle honours are emblazoned on their Regimental drums.

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When was the last time that Colours were carried into battle?

The last time Colours were carried into battle was on January 26, 1881, during the Boer War in South Africa. Major General Arora and Colonel Roach have recorded that the last occasion of carrying Colours into battle was at Laing’s Nek and the Regiment involved was the 2nd Battalion of The Northamptonshire Regiment. “A year later, an order was published that owing to the altered form of attack and the increased range of musketry, Colours would not be carried in action,”

What happened to the Colours that the Indian military used before Independence?

On November 23, 1950, the King’s Colours of the pre-Independence era Army were ‘laid to rest’ at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun. Thirty-five Colours, including those belonging to the Navy. On April 6, 1956, 17 more Colours belonging to the State Forces of the erstwhile Royal States of India were laid to rest at IMA Dehradun.