The Indian Navy switched to a new flag today when the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, was launched. One of the design elements honors Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha kingdom with a naval fleet.
Here are five latest facts about the new Indian Navy flag
The new flag has the flag in Upstate. A blue octagon with the national emblem rests on an anchor, which is covered with a shield with a naval motto.
“The octagon with two gold edges is inspired by the seal of the great Indian Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose vision built a reliable naval fleet,” the navy said at the unveiling. Said in the video of the new flag.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s fleet consisted of “60 battleships and about 5,000 soldiers. During the Shivaji Maharaj era, Maratha’s naval power continued to grow. Ascend, was the first to protect the coast from external aggression,” the navy said in the video.
The navy said that the blue octagon represents eight directions, symbolizing the multi-directional range and multi-dimensional combat capability of the Indian Navy. The anchor symbol stands for “steadfastness,” the Navy said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said before launching the INS Vikrant: “So far, the Indian Navy flag bearing the symbol of slavery has been removed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ) inspired by the new flag.” The red St. George’s cross on the old flag is associated with India’s colonial past.