IAF to unveil new ensign at Air Force Day parade in Prayagraj

Four air warriors will present the ensign on a movable mini-stage to the Air Chief, who will unveil it. Meanwhile, two drones will raise a larger version of the ensign from behind a curtain wall serving as the parade backdrop.

Prayagraj: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will unveil its new ensign at the Air Force Day parade at Bamrauli in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Sunday.

This will be after 72 years that the IAF will be unveiling its new ensign.

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The ensign will be first brought in front of the Air Chief by four air warriors fixed on a movable mini-stage and as the Air Chief will unveil the new ensign, two drones will lift a larger version of the ensign from behind the curtain wall which has been put as the background of the parade.

The new ensign will then also be hoisted at the flag post, which will be at the tarmac of the airbase where the parade will be held.

While the new ensign will be hoisted, the older version will be pulled down, folded with full honour and handed over to the Air Chief.

It will later be kept as an exhibit at the Air Force Museum.

Thereafter, a team of air warriors and officers of IAF will carry the new ensign at the parade. A Mi-17v5 will fly low, trooping the new Air Force ensign.

The present Air Force ensign is blue in colour, containing the National Flag in the first quadrant and a roundel consisting of the colours of the national flag — saffron, white and green in the centre. This ensign was adopted in 1951.

Going back in history, the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) Ensign comprised the Union Jack in the upper left canton and the RIAF roundel (red, white and blue) on the fly side. Post-Independence, the Indian Air Force ensign was created by replacing the Union Jack with the Indian tricolour and the RAF roundels with the IAF tricolour roundel in the lower right canton.

“A new lAF ensign has now been created to better reflect the values of the Indian Air Force. This reaffirmation will now be reflected by the inclusion of the Air Force Crest in the top right corner of the Ensign, towards the fly side,” said Defence PRO, Group Captain Samir Gangakhedkar.

The IAF Crest has the national symbol, the Ashoka lion on the top with the words “Satyamev Jayate” in Devanagari below it.

Below the Ashoka lion is a Himalayan eagle with its wings spread, denoting the fighting qualities of the IAF. A ring in light blue colour encircles the Himalayan eagle with the words “Bharatiya Vayu Sena”.

The motto of the IAF is inscribed below the Himalayan Eagle in golden Devanagari. The IAF motto has been taken from verse 24, Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita and means “Radiant Thou Touchest Heaven” or in other words “Touching the sky with glory”.