Navy does away with ship terms ‘Jackstaff’ and ‘Jack’, replaces with National Flag Staff, National Flag

The move comes on the heels of change in naval ensign which was effected in September 2022 and new badges of ranks of Admiral ranked officers, which came into effect in December 2023. Both changes were made to do away with British colonial legacy.

Writing in the prominent UK website on flags, flaginstitute.org, Commander Bruce Nicolls, OBE (Retd) of the Royal Navy, states, “Jack can have a diminutive sense, denoting something smaller or slighter than normal. Thus it was used to describe a small flag flown by ships of this period from a flagstaff rigged on the bowsprit”.

The term ‘Union’ first appears in 1625 and by 1627 it appears that a small version of the Union Flag – described thereafter as the ‘Jack’, ‘Jack flag’ or ‘King’s Jack’ – commonly flew in this position.

In September 2023, in a move to distance itself from the colonial past, the Indian Navy adopted a new naval ensign or a naval flag doing away with the British inspired George’s Cross.

The erstwhile ensign was replaced with a blue octagon with twin golden borders encompassing the national emblem atop a clear anchor and ‘Satyamev Jayate’ inscribed on the stock of the anchor. The national flag was retained on the upper left canton.

The octagon shape draws inspiration from Shivaji Maharaj’s Rajmudra or the Seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and represents eight directions (four cardinal and four inter cardinal), symbolising the Indian Navy’s maritime outreach. In December 2023, the Navy introduced new badges of ranks for Admiral rank officers. The new epaulettes have new golden Navy button carrying new naval crest unveiled in 2022, a red octagon as the backing to the national emblem, and a sword and a telescope.