India GO
India Gate, Delhi: timings, entry and what to see
India Gate has no gate to pass and no ticket: Delhi Tourism lists it as open from morning to night every day, with free entry and no photography charge. The 42-metre arch stands at the end of Kartavya Path and is best in the evening, when it is floodlit and the lawns fill with families.
Simply, the city's symbol. A memorial arch honoring soldiers of British India.
You can:
- Walk around and take photos - Sit on the lawn in the evening (locals love coming here for picnics)
Not exactly essential viewing for deep meaning, but it's worth visiting and "checking off the list."
The city's symbol
India Gate timings and entry
- Hours: morning to night, every day. Delhi Tourism names no closing day.
- Entry: free.
- Photography: no charge.
Because the monument stands in an open public space, there is no single opening or closing time to plan around: come when the light suits you.
What India Gate commemorates
The arch was designed by Edwin Lutyens. The Duke of Connaught laid the foundation stone in 1921, and Lord Irwin dedicated it in 1931. It is a war memorial: it honours soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in the First World War and in the Third Anglo-Afghan War of 1919, and more than 13,000 of their names are cut into the stone. Both sides of the arch carry the word INDIA between the dates MCMXIV and MCMXIX (1914 and 1919). Access to read the names up close is restricted.
After independence, the Amar Jawan Jyoti, an eternal flame for soldiers killed in the 1971 war, burned under the arch. On 21 January 2022 it was merged with the flame at the National War Memorial, built in the same hexagon around India Gate.
What to see around India Gate
- The arch. 42 metres high, in the middle of a large hexagon of roads and lawns about 625 metres across. Walk right round it.
- The canopy and Netaji statue. The canopy about 150 metres east of the arch, empty since 1968, now holds a statue of Subhas Chandra Bose, inaugurated on 8 September 2022.
- The National War Memorial. In the same hexagon, completed in January 2019; since January 2022 it holds the eternal flame.
- Kartavya Path. The former Rajpath, renamed in 2022, runs west from the arch towards Rashtrapati Bhavan. It is a long, straight walk with lawns on both sides.
The lawns around the arch are a popular picnic spot, and on evenings they fill with Delhi families. It is a place for a walk and photos rather than a long visit.
👣 How to get to India Gate
The monument is in central New Delhi, at the east end of Kartavya Path.
- By metro
Delhi Tourism names Pragati Maidan as the nearest station; it has since been renamed Supreme Court, on the Blue Line. From there continue on foot or by auto.
- By taxi or auto
Ask for India Gate.
Best time: after dark
Come at dusk and stay into the evening. Delhi Tourism describes the arch as floodlit at nightfall, with the nearby fountains lit in colour.
❓ FAQ
What are India Gate timings?
It is an open public monument, listed by Delhi Tourism as open from morning to night every day.
Can we go to India Gate at night?
Yes. Evening is the best time: the arch is floodlit after dark and the lawns are busy with families.
Is there an entry fee for India Gate?
No. Entry is free and there is no photography charge.
How tall is India Gate?
42 metres.
Is India Gate worth visiting?
Yes, as a short stop: the arch, the war memorial behind it and an evening walk on the lawns. It is a symbol and a memorial rather than a museum, so do not plan a full half-day.
Which metro station is nearest to India Gate?
Supreme Court (formerly Pragati Maidan) on the Blue Line, the station Delhi Tourism names.