The India Service Medal awarded to Officers and men of the Indian Forces for three years non-operational service in India. In affect it took the place of the Defence Medal (C19) in respect of Indian Forces.

The ribbon is dark blue with two wide and one central thin pale blue stripes. The colours of the Order of the Indian Empire and the Order of the Star of India.

On the obverse is the effigy of the King Emperor and on the reverse is a map of the Indian sub-continent with INDIA at the top and 1939-45 at foot.