Awarded to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Indian independence in 1972. The medal was awarded to all members of the armed forces, paramilitary forces, and police forces (broadly defined) who were serving on 15 August 1972.

For police recipients, these medals have not normally been officially manufactured and issued, but were, instead, made locally by independent manufacturers and the policemen can either buy them from these shops or the battalions buy it and give it to the qualifying constables. This gives rise to great variability in manufacture and even in design details.

Established: 1973.

Obverse: Circular 35-mm copper-nickel, with the national emblem in the center. Surrounded by the legend "25th INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSRY MEDAL / Pachisvi swatantrata jayanti medal [Hindi]". Suspended by a ring. Usually named on the edge.

Reverse: The chakra with the dates "1947 / 1972" above and below.

Ribbon: 32 mm, maroon with central stripes of orange, white, green (4 mm each). Maroon 10 mm, orange 4 mm, white 4 mm, green 4 mm, maroon 10 mm.