21 Gun Vs 3 Volley Salute

[BRIG NARINDER DHAND]

One of the most enduring myths in military ceremonies is that every fallen soldier is given a 21-gun salute. In reality, what most people witness is something far older and far more personal—the three-volley salute. Though both involve the sound of guns, they have entirely different origins and meanings.

The story of the 21-gun salute begins not on a battlefield, but on the high seas. Centuries ago, when a heavily armed warship entered a foreign harbor, it would discharge all its cannons harmlessly into the sea. A cannon took several minutes to reload, so an empty gun was a declaration of trust: “I come in peace.” The shore fort, secure behind its defenses, would answer with its own guns, acknowledging the gesture. Over time, this naval custom became a mark of the highest respect. Britain eventually standardized the 21-gun salute as the supreme ceremonial honor, a tradition that was later adopted by many countries, including India. Even today, a true 21-gun salute is fired not with rifles but with artillery guns, and is reserved for the President, visiting Heads of State, and other distinguished dignitaries. It is, in essence, a salute to the State and its highest office.

The three-volley salute, however, has a very different—and much more poignant—story. During medieval European battles, opposing armies often agreed to a temporary ceasefire to recover their dead and wounded. Once the fallen had been respectfully removed from the battlefield, the troops would fire three volleys of rifle fire to signal that the task was complete and that they were ready to resume the fight. What began as a practical battlefield signal gradually evolved into a solemn farewell to comrades who would never march again.

Today, this tradition survives in military funerals across India, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and many other nations. A firing party of soldiers stands beside the coffin or grave and, on command, fires three synchronized volleys into the air. If the firing party consists of seven soldiers, a total of 21 rifle shots are heard—one reason many people mistakenly call it a “21-gun salute.” But military tradition is precise: it is not a 21-gun salute. It is, and always has been, the three-volley salute.

In the Indian Armed Forces, the ceremony is deeply moving. The coffin, draped in the National Flag, is borne by fellow soldiers. The bugler sounds the haunting notes of the Last Post, symbolizing that the soldier’s duty has ended. The firing party then delivers the three volleys, echoing the ancient battlefield tradition of bidding farewell to a fallen comrade. Finally, the bugler sounds Rouse (or Reveille), signifying that while one soldier has laid down his life, the spirit of duty and service lives on in those who remain.

Military tradition beautifully captures the distinction between these two ceremonies: the artillery gun salutes the State, but the soldier’s rifle bids farewell to a comrade. One honors the dignity of a nation and its highest office; the other honors the courage, sacrifice, and brotherhood of those who stood shoulder to shoulder in battle. Though they may sound similar to the untrained ear, their echoes carry two very different messages—one of national sovereignty, the other of eternal remembrance.

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ब्रिगेडियर नरेन्द्र ढंड,
Brig Narinder Dhand,
Founder & Convener,
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