Indian Navy to get a new ensign

Context

The Prime Minister will unveil a new ensign (flag) of the Indian Navy during the commissioning of the country's first indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in Kochi.

Replacing the ensign with colonial past

• The new naval ensign is to replace the present ensign that carries the Saint George’s Cross with the Tricolour in the canton (top left corner of flag). 
• This ensign is essentially a successor to the pre-Independence ensign of the Indian Navy which had the red George’s Cross on a white background with the Union Jack of the United Kingdom on the top left corner. 
  
  
  
• The design of the new ensign has not yet been made public.
• While the new ensign will completely remove the nation's colonial past, the design of the same has not been revealed yet.
• After Independence, on August 15, 1947, the Indian defence forces continued with the British colonial flags and badges and it was only on Jan 26, 1950 that a changeover to Indianised pattern was made. 
• The Navy crest and flag were changed but the only difference made to the flag was that the Union Jack was replaced with the Tricolour, and the George’s Cross was retained.

When were the first changes to the ensign made?

• The Indian Navy draws its origin to the colonial period. On October 2, 1934, the naval service was renamed Royal Indian Navy (RIN). 
  
  
  
• With India becoming a Republic on January 26, 1950, the prefix 'Royal' was dropped, and it was rechristened as the Indian Navy.
• In 2001, India replaced the George's Cross with the naval crest in the middle of the Navy's ensign, retaining the tricolour on the top left corner. 
• However, the changes made to the ensign were reverted in 2004 after complaints said that the new flag was indistinguishable as the blue of the Navy crest merged with the skies and the sea. 
• While the George's Cross was brought back, India introduced the national emblem in the middle of the flag.
• In 2014, the Navy's ensign saw a new addition, as the words 'Satyamev Jayate' in Devanagari script were included below the Ashoka emblem.

Countries which discarded George’s Cross as naval ensign

• Most Commonwealth countries retained the Red George’s Cross at time of their independence, but several have done away with it on their respective naval ensigns over the years. 
• Prominent among them are Australia, New Zealand and Canada. 
• The Royal Canadian Navy adopted a new design in 2013 which has the Canadian flag in top left corner and the Canadian naval crest on a white background. 
• The Australian navy changed its ensign in 1967 and it now has the Union Jack and six blue stars positioned, as in the Australian national flag, on a white background. 
• The New Zealand navy also did away with the George’s Cross in 1968 and replaced it with a white flag bearing Union Jack in top left corner and four red stars.
• South African naval ensign has a green cross instead of the Red George’s Cross.
• Pakistan navy has its naval crest on the ensign while Bangladesh navy has a white flag with Bangladesh national flag in top left corner.