Indian citizen with the flag In 2025 a campaign was held in India to encourage citizens to fly the Indian flag at their homes ahead of the country's independence day celebrations on August 15. (more) citizenship of India Written by Gitanjali Roy Gitanjali Roy is deputy managing editor, Encyclopaedia Britannica. She has over two decades of editorial experience across digital and broadcast media. Gitanjali Roy Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated May 5, 2026 •History citizenship of India, legal relationship between an individual and the Indian state, defined in Articles 5–11 of the Constitution of India and governed by the Citizenship Act of 1955. Citizenship can be acquired through several ways, primarily by the principles of jus soli (“right of the soil”), which grants citizenship by birth, and jus sanguinis (“right of blood”), which grants citizenship by parental descent. India does not allow dual citizenship. Indians can renounce their citizenship,...

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