Indian Army Uniform Rules 2026 – Summary of New Rules for Wearing Medals
- Rules for Retired and Honorary Officers
(a) Retired Regular Officers:
They may wear the uniform along with their rank badges on special occasions such as ceremonial parades, military functions, Ex-Servicemen rallies, reunions, and state functions.
(b) Honorary Commissioned Officers / JCOs / Territorial Army:
All honorary commissioned officers and JCOs/jawan holding honorary ranks are entitled to wear the uniform. When in civil dress, they may wear their full-size or miniature medals.
(c) Prohibition:
Medals shall not be worn at any political function. Any soldier who has been dismissed or removed through disciplinary action shall not wear medals on any occasion.
- Rules for Ex-Servicemen Wearing Their Own Medals
All medals will always be worn on the left chest.
I. When to wear Full-Size Medals (on Formal Civil Dress):
- Republic Day Parade, Independence Day, Service Day, Vijay Diwas
- Wreath-laying at war memorials, receptions at Rashtrapati Bhavan / Raj Bhavan
- Standard / Colour Presentation Parade, Passing Out Parade
- Regimental anniversary / reunion, state or military funerals
- Official functions at embassies / high commissions
- When reporting for duty at any military headquarters or meeting senior officers
- Ex-Servicemen rallies
II. When to wear Miniature Medals (small medals on the left chest):
- Private parties, dinners, cocktails, lunches, tea parties, receptions
- Messes and regimental institutes during Raising Day, reunions, and similar gatherings
With suit-coat and tie.
- Family Medals (Next of Kin – NoK) – Rules for Wearing on the Right Chest
This is the newest and most respectful provision. The family of a martyr or ex-serviceman (wife, husband, parents, children, ancestors) may wear their medals.
How to wear them:
- Always on the right chest, so that it is clear these are not the wearer’s own medals but those of a family hero.
- Both full-size and miniature medals are permitted.
- If medals of more than one martyr are held, only one set should be worn at a time.
- Only on formal civil dress (coat-pant / suit / saree).
When they may be worn:
National / regimental war memorials / war cemeteries during homage ceremonies
State or military funerals
Official functions at Rashtrapati Bhavan / Raj Bhavan / embassies
Official functions of the Armed Forces, Ex-Servicemen rallies and reunions
National Day celebrations and when visiting military headquarters
When meeting senior officers such as the Governor, Collector / District Magistrate
Special provisions:
An Ex-Serviceman who is also a Next of Kin may wear his own medals on the left chest and the family medals on the right chest at the same time.
A serving soldier who is a Next of Kin may also wear the family medals on the right chest while in civil dress.
When they must never be worn:
Political functions, private functions, social parties, or while appearing on media channels / YouTube / FacebooK
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