Indian Naval Ensign

The Indian Naval Ensign (also known as the Indian White Ensign) is a naval ensign used by ships of the Indian Navy.

Indian Naval Ensign
UseNaval ensign
Proportion1:2
DesignA white ensign, with a horizontal red stripe and a vertical red stripe intersecting at the centre of the flag (Cross of Saint George), the emblem of India superimposed on the intersection, and the national flag in the upper canton next to the staff.

The blue ensign of the Star of India was used from 1879–1892 as the naval ensign of Her Majesty's Indian Marine (1879-1892). It was then used by the Royal Indian Marine (1892-1934), subsequently upgraded to the Royal Indian Navy (1934-1950). The white ensign of the Royal Navy was used from 1928–1950 as the naval ensign of the Royal Indian Marine and then the Royal Indian Navy. The Flag of India has been used since 1947 as the naval jack of the Indian Navy.[1]

From 26 January 1950, when India became a republic, until 2001, the Indian Navy used a modified version of the British Naval Ensign, with the Union Flag replaced with the Indian Tricolor in the canton.[2] In the early 1970s, Vice Admiral Vivian E. C. Barboza, later the FOC-in-C Western Naval Command, suggested replacing the old naval ensign.[3] With effect from 15 August 2001,[3] this flag was replaced with a white ensign bearing the Indian Navy crest, as the previous ensign was thought to reflect India's colonial past. [4] However complaints arose that the new ensign was indistinguishable as the blue of the naval crest easily merged with the sky and the ocean. Hence in 2004, the ensign was changed back to the St. George's cross design, with the addition of the emblem of India in the intersection of the cross.

On 15 August 2014, the ensign as well as the naval crest was further updated to correct the omission of the national motto in Devanagari script: सत्यमेव जयते (Satyameva Jayate) which means 'Truth Alone Triumphs' in Sanskrit.[5]

Indian naval flags
PeriodEnsignJack
1879–1884
1884–1928
1928–1947
1947–1950
1950–2001
2001–2004
2004–2014
2014–present

See also

References
  1. "Indian Naval Ensign Replaces the White Ensign" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 19 January 1950. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  2. "New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive.
  3. "The Indian Naval Ensign" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 8 August 2001. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  4. "Indian Navy to change its ensign". Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  5. "Indian Navy to finally include Satyameva Jayata below national emblem on its flag and crest". IndiaToday. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
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