India Gate is a majestic high arch, 42 meters high, built as a memorial to the Indian soldiers killed in the World War I. It is called the All India War Memorial. The foundation stone was laid by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught in 1921 and was designed by Edwin Lutyens.

The monument was dedicated to the nation 10 years later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin. Another memorial, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added much later, after India got its independence. It is in the form of a flame that burns day and night under the arch to remind the nation of soldiers who laid down their lives in the Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971.

The war memorial arch, India Gate, was built by the British in the honor of the unknown martyrs, who lost their lives in the First World War and Second Afghan War. Vijay Chowk (the Victory Square) is the site of 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony held annually in New Delhi, on 29th January. Originally known as All India War Memorial, it has the names of the soldiers who died in the wars inscribed on its walls. Since 1971, there is the eternal soldier's flame burning under it, known as 'Amar Jawan Jyoti'.

It is said that Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker designed India Gate and its surrounding area. India Gate is situated on Rajpath (the Royal Road). It is the ceremonial boulevard of the Indian republic that boasts of ornamental parks, pools and gardens alongside. It is here that the much-awaited event of Republic Day Parade takes place on 26th January every year. Rajpath runs through India Gate and Vijay Chowk and has Rashtrapati Bhavan at one end and National Stadium at another.

The names of the soldiers who died in these wars are inscribed on the walls. It was completed in 1931. Burning under it since 1971 is the Amar Jawan Jyoti (the flame of the immortal warrior), which marks the Unknown soldier''s Tomb.

Inscribed on top of India Gate in capital letters is the line:
To the dead of the Indian armies who fell honoured in France and Flanders Mesopotamia and Persia East Africa Gallipoli and elsewhere in the near and the far-east and in sacred memory also of those whose names are recorded and who fell in India or the north-west frontier and during the Third Afgan War.

The shrine itself is a black marble cenotaph with a rifle placed on its barrel, crested by a soldier''s helmet. Each face of the cenotaph has inscribed in gold the words "Amar Jawan" (Immortal Warrior). This cenotaph is itself placed on an edifice which has on its four corners four flames that are perpetually kept alive.

The 42 metre tall India Gate is situated such that many important roads spread out from it. Traffic passing around India Gate used to be continuous till the roads were closed to the public due to terrorist threats. The lawns around Rajpath are thronged by people during the night, when the India Gate is lit up.