The Indian Navy showed off the new epaulettes that officers will wear on Friday. The design was based on Rajmudra of Chhatrapati Shivaji. In an address for Navy Day on December 4 in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the new design would be used.
The latest design has been made public for the Admiral, Vice Admiral, and Rear Admiral ranks, which are the top three jobs in the navy.
It was also announced by Prime Minister Modi that the nomenclature of naval ranks will also bear the Indian traditions. This will be an addendum to the series of changes that the Navy has made since the previous year, when it stopped using batons for commanders, adopted new ensigns, and allowed officers to wear traditional Indian clothing in the officers’ mess.
Explanation of meaning behind each of the new design’s symbols?
- Golden Navy button: It reiterates the resolve to do away with ‘ghulami ki maansikta’.
- Octagon: It represents the eight directions, indicating the forces’ all-round long-term vision.
- Indian sword: It emphasises the essence of the Navy’s purpose to be the cutting edge of national power and win wars through dominance, defeating adversaries and overcoming every challenge.
- Telescope: It symbolises the long-term vision, foresight and a weather eye in an ever-changing world.
At the same time, the navy has finished conducting an examination of the ranks that sailors have inherited from the British. As part of a larger effort to abandon colonial military customs, it is planning to replace them with designations that are more Indianized. A total of almost 65,000 sailors will now be promoted to higher ranks.
According to a previous report from HT, the ranks that will be formed in accordance with Indian customs are as follows: Master Chief Petty Officer Ist Class, Master Chief Petty Officer IInd Class, Chief Petty Officer, Petty Officer, Leading Seaman, Seaman Ist Class, and Seaman IInd Class. There will be no change to the ranks of the officers.
