Reference
India's gallantry awards
The six gallantry decorations, wartime and peacetime, in their order of precedence.
Order of precedence
Wartime and peacetime awards rank in pairs: the Param Vir Chakra and Ashoka Chakra stand first.
| Award | Category | Tier | Awarded for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Param Vir Chakra | Wartime | 1 | Highest wartime award for the most conspicuous bravery or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy. Instituted 26 January 1950, effective from 15 August 1947. |
| Ashoka Chakra | Peacetime | 1 | Highest peacetime gallantry award, equal in precedence to the Param Vir Chakra. |
| Maha Vir Chakra | Wartime | 2 | Second-highest wartime award, for conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy. |
| Kirti Chakra | Peacetime | 2 | Second-highest peacetime gallantry award. |
| Vir Chakra | Wartime | 3 | Third-highest wartime award, for gallantry in the presence of the enemy. |
| Shaurya Chakra | Peacetime | 3 | Third-highest peacetime gallantry award. |