Centre says NavIC unable to offer standalone navigation, new satellite launch imminent

India’s homegrown satellite navigation network, NavIC, is currently supported by just three satellites capable of delivering Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services, fewer than the four required to provide independent positioning capability, the Centre told Parliament on Wednesday.

A standalone positioning service allows a navigation system to determine a user’s location using only its own satellite constellation, without depending on GPS or other global systems.

In a written response in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Space Dr. Jitendra Singh said that following the completion of the 10-year operational life of IRNSS-1F, the active NavIC constellation now comprises IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1I and NVS-01 for PNT services.

He clarified that although independent positioning is currently not available, NavIC’s timing services continue to operate without disruption.

“At least four operational satellites in orbit are necessary to provide basic positioning service. Therefore, the NavIC constellation is presently unable to offer standalone positioning service; however, timing service remains operational,” Singh stated.

Despite the reduced number of satellites, the government maintained that users face no operational risk because NavIC functions within a multi-constellation Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) framework alongside GPS, Galileo and GLONASS.

The Armed Forces also rely on multi-constellation GNSS, including NavIC, to meet operational needs.

To strengthen the network, ISRO has scheduled additional launches. Singh said NVS-03 is ready for liftoff, while NVS-04 and NVS-05 are at advanced stages of preparation.

The update comes as ISRO works to reinforce the second-generation NavIC constellation after setbacks in recent years.

While NVS-01 was successfully launched in 2023, the follow-up NVS-02 mission faced propulsion issues that stopped the satellite from reaching its designated operational orbit.

Upcoming missions are expected to replenish the constellation, reinstate standalone navigation capability and improve the reliability of India’s indigenous satellite navigation system, which delivers positioning, navigation and accurate timing services across India and up to roughly 1,500 km beyond its borders.