Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a new Naval Ensign (Nishaan) "doing away with the colonial past and befitting the rich Indian maritime heritage" during the commissioning of the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in Kochi, Kerala, on September 2. A press statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Tuesday on Modi's tour of Kerala and Karnataka said: "At 9:30 AM on 2nd September, Prime Minister will commission the first indigenous aircraft carrier as INS Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi. During the event, the Prime Minister will also unveil the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan), doing away with the colonial past and befitting the rich Indian maritime heritage." Naval Ensign is a flag that naval ships or formations carry to denote their nationality. The current Indian Naval Ensign consists of a St George's Cross - a red cross with a white background. In one corner of the cross, the flag of India was put during when the country attained freedom, replacing the Union Jack in that place. The Indian Naval Ensign has changed multiple times since Independence. It was only in 2001 that the St George's Cross was taken out and the Indian Navy's crest was added to the opposite corner of the ensign. The cross was put back again in 2004 with the addition of the emblem of India at the intersection of the cross, officials said. INS Vikrant, built at a cost of around Rs 20,000 crore, successfully completed the fourth and final phase of the sea trials last month. With the construction of ‘Vikrant’, India has joined a select group of nations having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an aircraft carrier. The ship has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1,700 people, including specialised cabins to accommodate women officers. Vikrant has a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles. The aircraft carrier is 262 metres long, 62 metres wide and it has a height of 59 metres. Its keel was laid in 2009.
