NavIC was envisioned as a pillar of India's strategic autonomy, yet it has struggled to stay operational. Examine the reasons and evaluate the role of the NVS series in addressing them.

NavIC is India's regional navigation system. It covers India and up to 1,500 km beyond its borders. Besides an open civilian signal, it offers a Restricted Service for strategic users, so the armed forces do not have to depend on foreign-controlled GPS [1]. Yet in 2026 only three satellites were providing positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services. A receiver needs four for standalone positioning [2].

Reasons for the operational struggle

• Ageing IRNSS satellites: first-generation satellites have degraded over time, and IRNSS-1A now sends only messaging services [1]. As failures added up, the constellation fell below four [2].
• Failed replacement: NVS-02 (2025) reached its transfer orbit but could not raise its orbit. The Apex Committee found that the firing signal never reached the oxidiser pyro valve, most likely because connector contacts came loose [3].
• Reactive planning: replacements came after failures, and there was no spare satellite in orbit.
• Weak civilian adoption: first-generation signals were only in the L5 and S bands [1], not the L1 band that most phone chips use. This kept the user base small.

Role of the NVS series: evaluation

Strengths

• Indigenous atomic clocks, first flown on NVS-01 and used alongside imported ones, cut import dependence for the fleet's weakest component [4][5].
• A new L1 civilian signal (1575.42 MHz) uses the same frequency as GPS, so ordinary phone chips can receive it [1]. Made-in-India NavIC chipsets support this [7].
• A five-satellite series (NVS-01 to 05) allows planned replacement of old satellites [4].
• NVS-03 flew on GSLV-F18, the 20th GSLV flight. It has completed its first orbit-raising burn and its health is normal [5][6].

Limitations

• Restoration is not yet complete. NVS-03 still has to reach its 111.75°E slot [6], the same stage at which NVS-02 failed. The committee's fixes worked on CMS-03 (Nov 2025) but have not yet been proven on a navigation satellite [3].
• Even if NVS-03 succeeds, NavIC will have exactly four satellites, the bare minimum with no spare.
• New hardware cannot fix delays in launch planning or slow device adoption.

Verdict: the NVS series fixes NavIC's technical weaknesses (clocks and signal compatibility). It is necessary, but on its own it is not enough.

NavIC's problems come from ageing satellites, a failed replacement and slow adoption, and the NVS series addresses the technical side of all three. To finish the job, ISRO should launch NVS-04 and NVS-05 before the IRNSS satellites wear out, keep spares in orbit, and pair this with phased rules for NavIC in new devices. A resilient NavIC, used alongside GPS rather than against it, would turn strategic autonomy and Atmanirbhar Bharat in space into something India can rely on.