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Flags, Crest and Motto of Indian Navy

A warship’s suit of Colours comprises the National Flag and the Naval Ensign. These symbolise the State and the Navy respectively, and are held in high reverence by all ranks, indicating subordination to the Nation and the Service. The association of Colours with heroic deeds has caused them to be regarded with veneration. In a sense, they epitomise the history of the Service.

A New Naval Ensign has been adopted by the Indian Navy from 25 April 2004. A White Ensign, with a Horizontal Red Stripe and a Vertical Red Stripe intersecting at the center of the flag, a golden yellow State Emblem superimposed on the intersection, and the National Flag in the upper canton next to the staff.

The Indian Naval White Ensign has evolved from the White Ensign of the Royal Navy, which itself developed over the centuries. The red St George’s Cross became an emblem of the Royal Navy after the crusades. However, the background colour varied till about the seventeenth century, when three colours viz. white, red and blue, were adopted for the Ensign and represented different sections of the Fleet. The Squadron in the van was commanded by the White Admiral and wore a White Ensign; the middle by the Red Admiral with the Red Ensign; and the Rear became the Blue Admiral’s position with his Blue Ensign. The order of seniority was red, white and blue, but was changed to red, blue and white in 1653. However, during the Battle of Trafalgar, Lord Nelson ordered the entire British Fleet to hoist the White Ensign to avoid any possibility of confusion. It was only in 1864 that the Royal Navy adopted the White Ensign as its Colours. The Red Ensign became the Colours of the Merchant Navy, and the privilege of wearing a Blue Ensign was granted to naval auxiliaries as well as merchant vessels commanded by officers belonging to the Naval Reserve, or merchant vessels having a prescribed percentage of ex-naval personnel in their crew or those on charter to the Navy. This tradition continues even today.

On attaining Independence, the White Ensign of the Indian Navy was modified in that the colours of the British Flag in the upper canton were replaced by the Indian Tri-Colour. In all other respects, the Ensign remained the same as that of the Royal Navy.

T he Ensign was later changed by the Indian Navy on 15 August 2001. This Ensign consisted of the National Flag superimposed on the Top Quarter adjoining the flagstaff and a Navy Crest super imposed on the part displaced away from the Flag Staff.

The Naval Crest consists of the Ashoka emblem, a foul anchor and a shield, and its navy blue colour. Below the crest is the motto of the Service- ‘Shano Varuna’ - meaning ‘May the Lord of the Oceans be Auspicious Unto Us’.

In India it is customary to acknowledge the gift of nature by offering felicitations to its presiding deity. Water is the greatest of such gifts and Varuna is its presiding deity. And hence the Vedic prayer ‘Shano Varuna’ - meaning ‘Be Auspicious Unto Us, oh Varuna!’.

18 Mar 1952 is an important date in the maritime history of India. It was then that Chakravarti Rajagopalachari gave to the Indian Navy its motto - ‘Shano Varuna’ - meaning ‘May the Lord of the Oceans be Auspicious Unto Us’.

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