At an event to commission INS Vikrant, India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also unveiled the Indian Navy's new ensign, or military flag.
The new ensign consists of a white flag with the Indian Navy's crest on a navy blue background. The crest is enclosed in an octagon representing the royal seal of historical ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. At the top left corner, the Indian national flag is placed.
The new ensign marks a departure from India's colonial past. The Navy's earlier ensign consisted of a white flag with horizontal and vertical red stripes, with the Emblem of India emblazoned at the intersection of the two stripes. The tricolour was placed in the canton.
The horizontal and vertical red stripes stood for the Cross of Saint George, and thus, were a sign of British rule.
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