Salute States of India referred to those princely states of India during the rule of British Empire in India, which were granted a gun salute by the British Crown as paramount monarch. This was a protocolary privilege, which was a form of ceremony and etiquette observed by the rulers of the states, to be greeted. This was initiated firstly by Royal Navy ships and was later commenced on land as well with a number of gun shots which recognized the relative status of the particular princely state. Whenever the monarch of an Indian princely state arrived at the capital of British India, the ruler was formally greeted with a number of gun shots. These gun firings were considered as gun salutes and the frequency of these consecutive salutes varied from occasionally, which increased or decreased based on the degree of honour that the British Government of India decided to accord to a certain ruler of a princely state.

The important monarchs and rulers of the princely states were given gun salutes that ranged from 21 guns, which was accorded to the leading territorial rulers; to 3 guns for some local chieftains and Maharajas. The gun salutes given to the salute states of India decreased by 2 guns less than the earlier rank in each step, such as 21 guns, 19 guns, 17 guns, 15 guns etc. the ranks of the Indian princes depended on the prestige or status of the ruler and the state based on military strength, territorial size, heredity and lineage etc.

Significance of Salute States of India
The Maharajas, Princes, Nizam and other rulers of the princely states were eager and sincerely dedicated on maintaining procedure and protocol and assured that these were practiced as faith. The gun salutes provided to the Salute States of India was also a very important protocol that was firmly adhered to by the rulers. The number of gun salutes given to a ruler was typically an indication of his position and his association with the British and apparent degree of political power of the ruler. The 21 gun salute was considered as the highest gun salute. The Viceroy of India was accorded a 31 gun salute. During the conduct of the Coronation Durbar in Delhi in December, 1911, the number of gun salutes had particular significance. In that period, 3 Princely States were accorded 21 gun salutes, namely His Highness The Nizam of Hyderabad, His Highness The Maharaja of princely state of Mysore and His Highness The Maharaja Gaekwad of the princely state of Baroda.

Only these three states were officially given 21 gun salutes. Other princely states enjoyed a salute of 21 gun within the confines of their own state and where accorded 19 guns in the rest of British India, such as His Highness The Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior, His Highness The Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, His Highness The Maharana of Udaipur and His Highness The Maharaja Holkar of Indore. Apart from these, the Maharaja of Travancore also held a personal 21 gun salute.

In the year 1917, the Maharaja of Gwalior was promoted to a hereditary and permanent 21 gun salute; later in 1921, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir was also granted a 21 gun salute. Both the rulers were granted upgraded ranks as the soldiers of their states provided loyal and commendable services to the British Government during World War I.

Gun Salutes of Princely States
The gun salutes accorded to the Salute States of India which acceded to the Union of India as on 14th of August 1947 are mentioned below-

Hereditary Salutes of 21 Guns
* His Highness the Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior
* His Highness the Maharaja Gaekwar of Baroda
* His Highness the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir
* His Highness the Maharaja of Mysore
* His Exalted Highness the Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar

Hereditary Salutes of 19 Guns and Local Salutes of 21 Guns
* His Highness the Maharana of Udaipur
* His Highness the Nawab of Bhopal
* His Highness the Maharaja Holkar of Indore

Hereditary Salutes of 19 Guns
* His Highness the Maharaja of Kolhapur
* His Highness the Maharaja of Travancore

Hereditary Salutes of 17 Guns and Personal Salutes of 19 Guns
* His Highness the Maharaja of Kotah

Hereditary Salutes of 17 Guns and Local Salutes of 19 Guns
* His Highness the Maharaja of Patiala
* His Highness the Maharaja of Bharatpur
* His Highness the Maharaja of Kutch (Cutch)
* His Highness the Maharaja of Jaipur
* His Highness the Maharaja of Bikaner
* His Highness the Maharaja of Jodhpur

Hereditary Salutes of 17 Guns
* His Highness the Maharao of Bundi
* His Highness the Maharaja of Cochin
* His Highness the Maharaja of Rewa
* His Highness the Nawab of Tonk
* His Highness the Maharaja of Karauli

Hereditary Salutes of 15 Guns and Personal Salutes of 17 Guns
* His Highness the Maharaja Rana of Dholpur

Hereditary Salutes of 15 Guns and Local Salutes of 17 Guns
* His Highness the Maharaja of Alwar

Hereditary Salutes of 15 Guns
* His Highness the Maharaja Dhar
* His Highness the Maharawal of Banswara
* His Highness the Maharaja Dewas (Senior)
* His Highness the Maharaja Dewas (Junior)
* His Highness the Maharaja Datia
* His Highness the Maharaja of Idar
* His Highness the Maharawal of Dungarpur
* His Highness the Maharaja Sikkim
* His Highness the Maharaja Orchha
* His Highness the Maharaja Kishangarh
* His Highness the Maharaja Jaisalmer
* His Highness the Maharawat of Partabgarh
* His Highness the Maharao of Sirohi
* His Highness the Nawab of Rampur

Hereditary Salutes of 13 Guns and Local and Personal Salutes of 15 Guns
* His Highness the Maharaja of Kapurthala
* His Highness the Nawab of Junagadh
* His Highness the Maharaja of Jind

Hereditary Salutes of 13 Guns and Local Salutes of 15 Guns
* His Highness the Maharaja of Ratlam
* His Highness the Maharaja of Jam Sahib of Nawanagar
* His Highness the Maharaja of Nabha
* His Highness the Maharaja of Bhavnagar
* His Highness the Maharaja of Benares

Hereditary Salutes of 13 Guns
* His Highness the Maharaja of Tripura
* His Highness the Maharaja of Rajpipla
* His Highness the Maharaja of Rana Sahib of Porbandar
* His Highness the Maharaja of Rana of Jhalawar
* His Highness the Maharaja of Raj Sahib of Dhrangadhra Halvad
* His Highness the Maharaja of Cooch Behar
* His Highness the Nawab of Palanpur
* His Highness the Nawab of Jaora

Hereditary Salutes of 11 Guns and Local Salutes of 13 Guns
* His Highness the Nawab of Janjira

Hereditary Salutes of 11 Guns
* His Highness the Maharana Raj Sahib of Wankaner
* His Highness the Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal
* His Highness the Maharaja of Sirmur
* His Highness the Raja of Suket
* His Highness the Raja of Sitamau
* His Highness the Raja of Rajgarh
* His Highness the Raja of Samthar
* His Highness the Raja of Sailana
* His Highness the Nawab of Radhanpur
* His Highness the Raja of Pudukkottai
* His Highness the Maharaja of Panna
* His Highness the Raja of Narsinghgarh
* His Highness the Maharaja of Morvi
* His Highness the Raja of Manipur
* His Highness the Raja of Mandi
* His Highness the Nawab of Malerkotla
* His Highness the Raja of Bilaspur
* His Highness the Raja of Jhabua
* His Highness the Maharaja of Gondal
* His Highness the Raja of Faridkot
* His Highness Maharaja of Chhatarpur
* His Highness Maharaja of Charkhari
* His Highness Raja of Chamba
* His Highness Nawab of Cambay
* His Highness the Maharaja of Bijawar
* His Highness the Maharana of Barwani
* His Highness the Nawab of Baoni
* His Highness the Raja of Ali Rajpur
* His Highness the Maharaja of Ajaigarh

Personal Salutes of 11 Guns
* His Highness the Aga Khan

Hereditary Salutes of 9 Guns and Personal Salutes of 11 Guns
* His Highness the Raja of Sangli
* His Highness the Raja of Dharampur
* His Highness the Maharaol of Baria

Hereditary Salutes of 9 Guns and Local Salutes of 11 Guns
* His Highness the Raja of Savantwadi

Hereditary Salutes of 9 Guns
* The Maharana of Wadhwan
* The Maharaja of Sonepur
* The Raja of Shahpura
* The Raja of Sant
* The Nawab of Sachin
* The Thakore Sahib of Rajkot
* The Maharaja of Patna
* The Thakore Sahib of Palitana
* The Raja of Nagod
* The Raja of Mudhol
* The Maharaja of Mayurbhanj
* The Raja of Maihar
* The Maharana of Lunawada
* The Nawab of Loharu
* The Thakore Sahib of Limbdi
* The Raja of Khilchipur
* The Maharaja of Kalahandi
* The Maharaja of Jawhar
* The Thakore Sahib of Dhrol
* The Maharana of Danta
* The Raja of Chhota Udepur
* The Raja of Bhor
* The Raja of Baraundha
* The Maharaja of Bansda
* The Nawab of Banganapalle
* The Nawab of Balasinor

Personal Salutes of 9 Guns
* The Raja of Bashahr

Few of the Indian Princes were accorded augmented gun salutes in the year 1948. The Hindu Rajput Maharana of Udaipur was elevated to the first place in the Order of Precedence. The Muslim Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar was displaced as refused to accede to the Union of India. Later the 9 gun Salute States of India were given the hereditary title and style of Highness. The system of gun salutes continued in the Republic of India until the year 1971.