The Tri-Services Guard of Honour is an ad hoc infantry company of the Indian Armed Forces which is responsible for providing guards of honour for high ranking Indian and foreign officials. The company was created shortly after India gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1947. It is headquartered in New Delhi and is composed of 100 men and women who are drawn from the three services of the Indian Armed Forces (Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force). The guard excludes the Indian Coast Guard in any of its protocol events.
The company is deployed to the Rashtrapati Bhavan or the Secretariat Building only during the visits of Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Defense Ministers to India. On January 25, 2015, during President Barack Obama’s state visit to India, Wing Commander Pooja Thakur made history by becoming the first female officer to lead the company during an arrival ceremony. It took part in the 2020 Moscow Victory Day Parade on Red Square.
Outside of India, a tri-services guard of honour may refer to an honour guard that includes the three main service branches of that country’s military.
