Awarded for service in the 1965 war with Pakistan.

When awarded to police and paramilitary forces, in most cases, this medal has not been officially manufactured and issued, but was, 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. These medals - and even some military issues - were issued unnamed, though the medal is usually named on the edge.

Established: 26 January 1967, by the President of India. Amended 22 July 1968 and 14 December 1971.

Obverse: Circular 36-mm copper-nickel, in the center the national emblem. Suspended by a straight-bar suspender. The medal is usually named on the edge.

Reverse: The depiction of a rising sun, with a half-wreath below and, above, the Hindi legend "Raksha Medal / 1965".

Ribbon:  31.5 mm, orange with three, equally spaced, 3.5 mm stripes of red, dark blue, and light blue. Orange 5.5 mm, red 3.5 mm, orange 5 mm, dark blue 3.5 mm, orange 5 mm, light blue 3.5 mm, orange 5.5 mm.