Named along with French-born paddler Jessica Fox by Chef de Mission Anna Meares, the 37-year-old is Australian hockey’s all-time appearance record-holder, first five-time Olympian and just its second flag-bearer after his former Kookaburras coach Ric Charlesworth in 1988.
Ockenden said it was “an incredible honour”.
“I have watched the opening ceremony at my past Games and felt such pride seeing our flag entering the stadium and leading our teams,” he said.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to now have this honour and experience something with such a strong history and deep meaning.
“I feel like I’ll be able to take so much positive energy out of this for the Kookaburras, and I hope the whole Australian team connect to this energy as well.
“I’m immensely proud to be representing Australia, Tasmania and my sport.”
Friday's opening ceremony will be the largest in Olympic history with tens of thousands of spectators watching the six-kilometre boat parade route along the River Seine.
The honour comes just two years after Ockenden also carried the flag at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Birmingham along with six-time squash representative Rachael Grinham.
At the time he said: “I couldn't imagine a higher highlight basically in my career.
"You feel a little bit uncomfortable, to be honest. You ask yourself, 'Am I worthy to stand in front of all these amazing Australians?'
"But it means a lot for me to be able to represent Australian hockey, and all the sports really, and all the athletes."
Ockenden is one of six Australian athletes at their fifth Olympics in Paris, along with basketballers Patty Mills, Lauren Jackson and Joe Ingles, show jumper Edwina Tops-Alexander and diver Melissa Wu.
The Hobart-born North West Grads product has scored 78 goals in his record 445 international appearances.
His previous four Olympic campaigns yielded a silver medal from the last final in Tokyo to go with bronzes from Beijing (2008) and London (2012). However, he has been part of 16 tournament victories in the Pro League (2019), World League (2015 and ’17), World Cup (2010 and ’14), Commonwealth Games (2010, ’14, ’18 and ’22) and Champions Trophy (2008, ’09, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’16 and ’18).
The father-of-three is optimistic about the Kookaburras adding to their sole Olympic title from 2004.
“We know our best is good enough, which is a great feeling going into a major competition,” he said.
“We know our best hockey is beating the best teams in the world. We know that the games are going to be tight and it's going to be good opposition, but it's really nice having the belief that our best is definitely good enough.
“I think this is the first time for an Olympic campaign where I’ve had the same coaching staff - normally we change over a little bit. To have that continuity and experiences from Tokyo for this squad with the coaching staff is going to be really important.”
Australia’s Chef de Mission Anna Meares said both flag bearers provide great leadership plus longevity, character and humility.
“Eddie has been a figure in our national hockey team since 2006. He has played more games for our national team than any other man and in Paris expects to play his 450th game for Australia which is incredible,” she said.
“He is at his fifth Games, a feat no other Australian hockey player, male or female, has achieved … it is clear how valuable he is to the team in their on-field play and their off-field culture.
“Eddie is humble but driven, he is hardworking and dedicated. He is a great leader in himself, and I know he will lead our team together with Jess with immense pride, gratitude and grace.”
Kookaburras head coach Colin Batch has also paid tribute to his longest-serving player.
“Eddie is an incredible athlete, an incredible person, he's like a good bottle of red wine isn't he, he just keeps getting better and better,” he said. “His fifth Olympics is a marvellous achievement and I know he wants a bigger goal and that’s not just being in the team, he wants success in Paris.”
Australian Olympic Committee president Ian Chesterman called his fellow Tasmanian “a proud Tasmanian and great ambassador for Australian sport”.