Kochi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday unveiled the new Naval Ensign ‘Nishaan’ at Cochin Shipyard Limited here in Kochi, doing away with the colonial past and befitting the rich Indian maritime heritage. The Prime Minister unveiled the new Naval Ensign ‘Nishaan’ during the commissioning of the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
Naval Ensigns are flags that naval ships or formations bear to denote nationality. The current Indian Naval Ensign consists of a St. George’s Cross– a red cross with white background. In one corner of the cross, the Indian flag was put when the country attained freedom, replacing the Union Jack in that place.
Kochi, Kerala | Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoists the new Naval Ensign 'Nishaan', on #INSVikrant pic.twitter.com/WGei5ncd7d
— ANI (@ANI) September 2, 2022
The Indian Naval Ensign has changed multiple times since Independence. It was only in 2001 that the St George’s Cross was taken out and the Indian Navy’s crest was added to the opposite corner of the ensign. The cross was put back again in 2004 with the addition of the emblem of India at the intersection of the cross.
Designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Vikrant has been built with state-of-the-art automation features and is the largest ship ever built in the maritime history of India. The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is named after her illustrious predecessor, India’s first aircraft carrier, which had played a vital role in the 1971 war. It has a large amount of indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country as well as over 100 MSMEs. With the commissioning of Vikrant, India will have two operational aircraft carriers, which will bolster the maritime security of the nation.
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