Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Indian Navy's new ensign on Friday during the inaugural ceremony to commission India's first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, in Kochi. The Indian navy erased the colonial past representation on the flag by removing the Saint George's cross from the flag.

The national flag appears in the upper left canton of the new Indian Navy flag, symbolizing the nation's spirit of India's maritime force. The new ensign is incorporated in the lower right-hand corner. Inside the blue octagon is the national emblem with the national motto "Satyamev Jayate" engraved in the Devanagari script, an anchor, and the Navy's motto "Shan no Varunaha." The blue octagon's twin golden borders represent the Rajamudra of Chhatrapati Shivaji, whose vision shaped India's naval base.

The octagonal shape represents the Indian navy's multidirectional reach and multidimensional operational capability, while the anchor symbol represents "steadfastness."