An indigenous satellite navigation system is a pillar of strategic autonomy. Examine NavIC's progress and the problems in keeping its constellation running.

NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) gives India Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services that it controls itself. This protects defence and critical infrastructure from a foreign system being switched off in a crisis. NavIC's record shows real technological progress, but keeping the constellation running remains fragile.

Progress: building a second-generation system

• NVS series: NVS-03 was launched on GSLV-F18 on 30 October 2026. It is the third of five next-generation navigation satellites [1].
• Indigenous atomic clocks: NVS-01 (2023) flew ISRO's first indigenous rubidium atomic clock, developed by SAC Ahmedabad [2].
• L1 signal for mass use: The NVS satellites add L1 to the existing L5 and S-band signals [3]. Qualcomm chipsets now support NavIC L1 for phones, cars and IoT devices [4].
• Orbit-raising worked: NVS-03 fired its own engine for 6,400 seconds to reach a circular orbit [5]. This is the step NVS-02 could not complete.

Problems in keeping the constellation running

• Below the minimum: Only three satellites were broadcasting navigation signals in 2026 [1]. A receiver needs four for a standalone fix, so users must mix in GPS signals.
• Launch-stage failure: NVS-02 (January 2025) was stuck in its elliptical orbit. The Apex Committee traced this to a connector fault that stopped the command signal reaching the oxidiser pyro valve [6].
• Late replacements: IRNSS-1F completed its 10-year design life on 10 March 2026. Its procured clock stopped three days later [7]. There was no spare in orbit, so one stuck satellite and one ageing clock pulled NavIC below four.
• Import dependence: NVS-02 and NVS-03 still carry a mix of indigenous and procured clocks [1][2].
• New satellite not yet working: NVS-03 still has to finish in-orbit payload testing before it adds a usable signal [5].
• Weak adoption: Chipset and phone makers have little reason to add NavIC hardware while too few satellites are broadcasting.

NavIC has the technology of an independent system but not yet its reliability. Several steps would close the gap:

• launch replacements before each satellite's design life ends;
• keep a spare satellite in orbit;
• apply the Apex Committee's pyro-redundancy fixes to NVS-04 and NVS-05;
• fully indigenise the atomic clocks.

With these, NavIC can deliver the strategic autonomy and Atmanirbhar Bharat goals it was built for.