New Delhi, Dec 6: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday (Dec 5), approved the introduction of a new design for the President's Standard and Colour and Indian Navy Crest for the Indian Navy, which was unveiled at Visakhapatnam on Navy Day on Sunday (Dec 5).
"Resonant to the ongoing National endeavour to move away from the colonial past, the Naval Ensign was amended to a new Design that draws inspiration from our history wherein the Red Horizontal and Vertical Lines on the White Ensign were replaced with a Blue Octagon with Twin Golden Borders encompassing the National Emblem atop a clear anchor and 'National Emblem' 'Satyamev Jayate' inscribed on the stock of the Anchor. Further, the National Flag was retained on the upper left canton," a government release stated.
The erstwhile design of the President's Standard and Colour for the Indian Navy was instituted on Sept 6, 2017. The design comprised one horizontal and vertical red band intersecting at the centre and the National Emblem inserted at their intersection. The National Flag was at the upper left canton adjacent to the staff and a Golden Elephant was at the lower right canton on the fly side. This design was inspired by the erstwhile Naval Ensign. As per the release, the Indian Navy adopted a new Naval Ensign on Sept 2, 2022, and the new design of the President's Standard and President's Colour awarded to the Indian Navy incorporates this change.
The new design of the President's Standard and Colour comprises three main constituents - the National Flag in the upper left canton adjacent to the staff, the State Emblem underscribed with 'Satyamev Jayate' in Golden Colour on the upper right canton on the fly side, and a Navy Blue - Gold Octagon below the Golden State Emblem.
The Octagon has twin golden octagonal borders, encompassing the golden National Emblem (Lion Capital of Ashoka - underscribed with 'Satyamev Jayate' in blue Devnagri script) resting atop an anchor; and superimposed on a shield. Below the shield, within the octagon, in a golden bordered ribbon, on a Navy Blue background, is inscribed the motto of the Indian Navy 'Sam No Varunah' in golden Devnagri script.