News Brief
With Depleting NavIC Fleet, India Plans To Launch Three More Satellites By 2027 To Replenish Homegrown GPS Alternative
Representative image of an Indian satellite
India is set to strengthen its homegrown satellite navigation NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) system with the planned launch of three new satellites — NVS-03, NVS-04, and NVS-05 — by 2027, amid concerns over the ageing and partially operational fleet.
According to a written reply in the Rajya Sabha by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, the NVS-03 satellite is scheduled for launch by the end of 2025.
The subsequent satellites, NVS-04 and NVS-05, will be deployed at six-month intervals thereafter, extending the replenishment schedule into 2027.
The NavIC system currently comprises 11 satellites launched since inception.
"NVS-03 is planned to be launched by end of 2025. Subsequently, with a gap of six months, NVS-04 & NVS-05 are planned to be launched," Singh said.
Of these, only four are providing Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services, while another four are used solely for one-way message broadcasts. One satellite has been decommissioned after reaching the end of its service life, and others face performance degradation.
This reduction in operational capacity has raised concerns over the system’s reliability, particularly for critical applications.
NavIC, developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is India’s regional alternative to the US-operated Global Positioning System (GPS), designed to provide accurate location services over India and a surrounding region up to 1,500 km.
It plays a key role in sectors such as transport, maritime operations, and disaster management.
Vehicle tracking is one of NavIC’s major public applications.
As per the Vahan dashboard, 153 certified models of vehicle tracking devices are available, and over 19.6 lakh vehicles — including public and commercial transport — have been equipped for real-time monitoring through NavIC.
Experts have warned that unless replenishment is accelerated, the system risks losing continuity.
The upcoming launches are expected to restore capacity and ensure uninterrupted services in the coming years.
