Indian Army Medals and ribbons are the ornamented decorations. The ornamented decoration is given for the bravery and extraordinary courage of Indian Army personnel.
Distinguished service during times of war and peace is also awarded medals and ribbons.
Throughout the history of India as an independent nation, service and campaign medals have been awarded. The medal received is displayed with a respective ribbon that has a well-defined size and colour.
Indian Army Medals and Ribbons in Indian Military
The medals listed below are in order of decoration of precedence.
1. Wartime Gallantry Awards
Param Vir Chakra: This is the highest military decoration. It is awarded for the prominent display of valour during the time of war.
Maha Vir Chakra: IT is the second-highest military decoration. The award is given for the act of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy irrespective of land, sea, or sky. This medal can be awarded posthumously.
Vir Chakra: This award is given for the act of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy on the battlefield.
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2. Peacetime Gallantry Awards
Ashok Chakra: This medal is honoured for bravery, self-sacrifice, or courageous action away from the battlefield. This is the highest medal awarded during peacetime.
Kirti Chakra: This medal is also honoured for valour, self-sacrifice, or courageous action away from the battlefield given to civilians and military personnel. This award can be given posthumously.
Shaurya Chakra: This medal is also honoured for valour, self-sacrifice or courageous action away from the battlefield given to civilians and military Personnel. This award can be given posthumously.
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3. Wartime Distinguished Service Medal
Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal: This medal is awarded the highest wartime degree of distinguished service during war, conflicts, or hostilities.
Uttam Yudh Seva Medal: This medal is given for Wartime Distinguished service and high-degree services in the operational context.
Yudh Seva Medal: This medal is given for Wartime Distinguished service and high-degree services in an operational context. This award can be given posthumously.
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4. Peacetime Distinguished Service Medal
Param Vishisht Seva Medal: This award is recognized for the peacetime service of the most exceptional order. This may be awarded posthumously.
The eligible Personnel are of all ranks of the Indian Armed Forces, including Territorial Army, Nursing officers, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces, and other members of the Nursing services and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces.
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal: given to recognize “distinguished service of an exceptional order” to all ranks of the armed forces. Uttam Yuddh Seva Medal is the peacetime equivalent of the Wartime Distinguished Service decoration.
Vishisht Seva Medal: It is awarded to recognize “distinguished service of a high order.” It is given to all ranks of the Indian Armed Forces. The award may be given posthumously.
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5. Distinguished Service & Gallantry Medals
Sena Medal: The Sena Medal is given to all members of the Indian Army. The medal is given to recognize the individuals for their acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage.
Nausena Medal: This is a gallantry award given to the Personnel of the Indian Navy.
Vayu Sena Medal: This medal is awarded during peacetime. It is given to recognize the job well done in the Indian Air Force.
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6. Service and Campaign Medal
Wound Medal (Parakram Padak): This medal is given to Personnel who have been wounded due to direct action of the enemy in any type of operation or counter-insurgency actions.
General Service Medal 1947: This award is for the Personnel who served in Jammu and Kashmir during Indo – Pakistan War of 1947. This was also for up through service in Mizo Hills till 1975.
Samanya Seva Medal: This medal is given for active service in which no other medal is received. This medal was established in 1975 with a retroactive effect in 1965.
Special Service Medal: The medal is awarded to Armed Forces personnel for the service or operational control of regular Armed Forces. This is given to all Army, Navy, and Air forces of all ranks.
Samar Star Medal: This medal is given to civilians as well as force personnel. This is given for the recognition of service during Indo – the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. This was established in 1967.
Poorvi Star: This medal is given to recognize Personnel who served in Bangladesh during the Indo–Pakistan war of 1971.
Pashmina Star: This medal is given to recognize Personnel who served on the western border during the Indo–Pakistan war of 1971.
Operation Vijay Star: This medal is given to the armed forces as well as civilians. The award is to recognize the participation of the person in combat operations in Operation Vijay in 1999.
Siachen Glacier Medal: This award is given to the Personnel who served in the Siachen conflict between India and Pakistan’s northern border. This award is also given to the Indian Air Force for Operation Meghdoot.
Raksha Medal: This award is to recognize the service in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. This award is given to Members of Police and Paramilitary Forces and Military Personnel.
Sangram Medal: This medal was for recognition of efforts during Indo Pakistan wars of 1971 and 1972.
This medal was given to all categories such as paramilitary forces, police, civilians, and military that operated in Punjab, Gujrat, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, or Tripura.
Operation Vijay Medal: This medal is given to Civilians as well as Armed Forces personnel. It is given to those who were part of a more prominent Indian armed force fraternity.
Operation Parakram Medal: This award is given to the Personnel for the service during Operation Parakram.
This medal is given to all ranks from Auxiliary and Reserve Forces, Nursing Officers, other Nursing staff, Territorial Army, and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces.
Sainya Seva Medal: This medal is given for non-operational service. These services can be under conditions of hardship and severe climate in specified areas.
High Altitude Service Medal: This medal is given to the Personnel who have been detailed for duties connected with the defence of the borders. It is also given to aircrew personnel and Personnel of the ejection crew of Air maintenance.
Antrik Suraksha Padak: This medal is given to CAPF, State/UT Police, CPOs, and other security organisations for two years of continuous service to Jammu and Kashmir, North East and Left-Wing Extremism regions.
Videsh Seva Medal: This medal is given to the Personnel for the service provided outside India. It is considered when the Personnel are given any other medal.
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7. Long Service Medal
The various medals are as below.
Meritorious Service Medal: This medal was for the British Indian Army for non-commissioned officers.
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal: This is a long service medal for officers in the British Indian Army.
30-Year Long Service Medal: This medal is given to Indian Army/Navy/Air Force Officers for completing unblemished service of 30 years.
20-Year Long Service Medal: This medal is given to Indian Army/Navy/Air Force Officer for completing unblemished service of 20 years.
9-Year Long Service Medal: This medal is given to Indian Army/Navy/Air Force Officer for completing unblemished service of 9 years.
Territorial Army Decoration: This medal is given to the commissioned officer of the Territorial Army for proving the capacity for 20 long years.
Territorial Army Medal: This medal is given to junior commissioned or non – commissioned or other rank officers who have completed 12 years of efficient service.
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8. Independence Medal
Indian Independence Medal: It was a commemorative medal for service with the Indian armed forces at independence in August 1947. The attached British Personnel were eligible.
50th Independence Anniversary Medal: The medal shall be awarded to the Army, Navy, and Indian Force as well as the Territorial Army and other armed forces of the union.
25th Independence Anniversary Medal: This medal is given to all ranks of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, any other Reserve Force, the Territorial Army, the Jammu, and Kashmir Militia as well as any other armed forces of the Union.
9. Military Reconnaissance and Exploration Medal
MacGregor Medal: The MacGregor Medal is an award for valuable military intelligence.
This intelligence can be through exploration, surveillance, survey, or any other similar activity of national importance. This award is also referred to as the MacGregor Memorial Medal
As said by the Indian Army, “This world rests on the arms of heroes like a son on those of his sire. He, therefore, is a hero who deserves respect under every circumstance.
There is nothing higher in the three worlds than heroism. The hero protects and cherishes all, and things depend upon the hero”.
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