A gold torch surrounded by 19 gold stars on a navy blue field — adopted for the state's 1916 centennial.
The design
The Flag of usa-state/indiana/" data-it-autolink="1">Indiana is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 2:3, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses navy blue, gold, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Navy blue | navy blue | A nationally significant colour for this flag — see the symbolism section below for the country-specific meaning. |
| Gold | gold | Stands in for sunlight, mineral wealth or sovereign authority. |
| Source | Official flag law | The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions. |
Symbolism & heraldry
The torch represents liberty and enlightenment, with rays radiating outward to suggest its far-reaching influence. The 13 stars in the outer ring represent the original colonies, the five inner stars the states added before Indiana, and the larger top star Indiana itself — the 19th state admitted to the Union.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Indiana — bands, charges, emblems or stars — each carry meaning agreed at the moment of the flag’s adoption. Re-readings happen across generations: a colour or a symbol that began with one meaning often picks up further layers as the country’s history unfolds.
Adoption & history
The current flag was adopted in 1917. It is credited to Paul Hadley. Earlier banners flown by Flag of Indiana reflected the politics of their day; each redesign typically marked a moment of independence, regime change or constitutional reform. The current flag was chosen, debated and codified through the country’s official channels and is now protected by flag law.
Etiquette & protocol
The Flag of Indiana should be flown with respect: never allowed to touch the ground, never used as drapery for ceremonies it was not made for, and lowered or removed at sundown unless illuminated. When flown alongside other national flags, it takes precedence on home soil and is hoisted first and lowered last. On days of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast in line with directives from the head of state. These conventions are common to most nations and are usually written into the flag’s founding statute.
Specifications
| Field | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Flag of Indiana | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1917 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 2:3 | height : length |
| Colours | navy blue, gold | — |
| Designer | Paul Hadley | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
Hadley's design won a 1916 contest sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution and was adopted in 1917 — its only modification since has been the addition of the word "Indiana" above the torch.
