About Armed Forces Flag Day
Armed Forces Flag Day, or Sashastra Sena Jhanda Diwas, is observed on 7 December to honour India's soldiers, sailors and air warriors and to collect money for veterans, war widows, disabled service personnel and their families. It has been kept every year since 1949, and in 2026 it falls on Monday, 7 December 2026. Small flags in red, deep blue and light blue, the colours of the three services, are given in return for donations.
Most days that honour the armed forces ask you to watch a parade or remember a battle. Armed Forces Flag Day asks for something more practical: a contribution to the people who served and the families who carry the cost.
Why is Armed Forces Flag Day observed on 7 December?
Armed Forces Flag Day is observed on 7 December because a committee set up under the Defence Minister decided on 28 August 1949 that India would mark a flag day on that date every year. The idea was to let every citizen share, in a small way, the cost carried by those who serve.
The day was given three purposes, which still hold: rehabilitation of battle casualties, welfare of serving personnel and their families, and resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen and their dependants. The small paper flags and car flags handed out in exchange for donations are red, deep blue and light blue, for the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
Where does the Flag Day money go?
Flag Day money goes into the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF), which the Ministry of Defence formed in 1993 by merging several older welfare funds. These included the Flag Day Fund itself, the Amalgamated Special Fund for War Bereaved, the St Dunstan's and Kendriya Sainik Board Fund, and the Indian Gorkha Ex-Servicemen's Welfare Fund.
The fund is managed by the Kendriya Sainik Board, part of the Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare, and reaches people through Rajya Sainik Boards in the states and Zila Sainik Boards in the districts. According to the fund's own site, it supports:
| Who it helps | What it pays for |
|---|---|
| Disabled veterans | Mobility equipment |
| War widows | Vocational training to help them earn |
| Widows and daughters of ex-servicemen | Grants towards marriage, including widow remarriage |
| Non-pensioner veterans | Help with treatment for serious illness |
| Paraplegic soldiers | Support for the institutions that rehabilitate them |
The need is large. The Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare serves about 2.6 million ex-servicemen, and roughly 86 per cent of them served as junior commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers or in other ranks rather than as officers.
How can you donate on Armed Forces Flag Day?
You can donate on Armed Forces Flag Day, or on any day of the year, in several ways.
- OnlineGive through the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund website by UPI, debit or credit card, or net banking. Keep the receipt.
- Through a flagBuy a flag from the NCC cadets, school students, Sainik Board staff or volunteers who collect on 7 December.
- Through the Zila Sainik BoardYour district's Sainik Board office accepts contributions and can tell you about local veterans' needs.
- Through your companyThe fund is registered for corporate social responsibility, so a company can count a contribution towards its CSR obligation.
- Claim the tax benefitDonations qualify for deduction under Section 80G(5)(vi) of the Income Tax Act. Check the current rules with your tax adviser.
How should you mark Flag Day, and what should you write?
Flag Day is a working day, and in many offices, schools and colleges it is marked by pinning a small flag to one's clothes after giving a donation. Schools and NCC units often run collection drives in the week before. The three services hold events of their own.
Do
- Give something, even a small amount, before you post about the day.
- Thank serving personnel and veterans in plain words; name the service or regiment if you know it.
- Remember military families: spouses who move every few years and children who change schools with them.
- For war widows and bereaved families, remember the person by name and say what their service meant.
Avoid
- Don't send "Happy Flag Day" to a family that has lost someone in service.
- Don't turn the day into chest-thumping or hostility towards another country.
- Don't give to unofficial collectors or forwarded payment links that claim to be for soldiers; use the official fund or Sainik Board.
On Armed Forces Flag Day, thank you for the postings far from home and the festivals you spent on duty. We don't say it often enough.
On Flag Day, thank you for your years in uniform, Uncle. The service didn't end when you retired, and neither does our gratitude.
Thinking of all of you this Flag Day. Every transfer, every school change and every long wait is service too. Thank you.
On Armed Forces Flag Day, remembering your husband with respect, and thinking of you and the children. You are not alone in this.
It's Armed Forces Flag Day. If you can, give to the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund today; the money supports veterans, war widows and disabled soldiers.
Flag Day is for all three colours. Thank you for yours. Stay safe out there.
Armed Forces Flag Day comes three days after Indian Navy Day on 4 December and nine days before Vijay Diwas, which marks the 1971 victory. The Army and Air Force have their own days in Indian Army Day and Indian Air Force Day.
How to wish someone on Armed Forces Flag Day
Flag Day is about gratitude and support, not celebration. The best message thanks a serving member, veteran or military family in plain words and, ideally, comes with a donation. With war widows or families who have lost someone, write with care: remember the person by name and say what their service meant, and leave out "Happy".
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + recipient language.
When is Armed Forces Flag Day in 2026 and 2027?
Armed Forces Flag Day is on 7 Dec every year. Only the weekday changes.
- 2026
- 2027
Frequently asked questions
What do the colours of the Flag Day flag mean?
The Armed Forces Flag Day flag has three colours, red, deep blue and light blue, representing the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Small paper flags and car flags in these colours are given in return for donations on 7 December.
What is the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund?
The Armed Forces Flag Day Fund is the Ministry of Defence fund, formed in 1993 by merging older welfare funds, that receives Flag Day donations. It is managed by the Kendriya Sainik Board and supports veterans, war widows, disabled service personnel and their dependants.
Are donations to the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund tax-free?
Donations to the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund qualify for deduction under Section 80G(5)(vi) of the Income Tax Act. Companies can also count contributions towards their corporate social responsibility spending under Section 135 of the Companies Act.
When was Armed Forces Flag Day first observed?
Armed Forces Flag Day has been observed on 7 December every year since 1949, after a committee under the Defence Minister decided on 28 August 1949 to set aside the day for the welfare of service personnel and ex-servicemen.
Who runs the Flag Day collection?
The Kendriya Sainik Board, under the Ministry of Defence's Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare, runs the Flag Day collection nationally. Rajya Sainik Boards in the states and Zila Sainik Boards in the districts organise it locally, often with NCC cadets and schools.
Last verified by the Kehdoo team on .