NavIC

NavIC

News: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, is planning on making it mandatory for all devices to support the homegrown Navigation System NavIC.

Background:
• The Union government is considering mandating NavIC integration in all smartphones sold in India by 2025, particularly targeting 5G phones.

What is NavIC?
• Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), also known as the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), is an autonomous regional satellite navigation system developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
• NavIC provides accurate real-time positioning and timing services.
• It covers India and a region extending 1,500 km around it, with plans for further extension.

What are NavIC’s potential applications?
• Disaster management, Vehicle tracking and fleet management (especially for mining and transportation sector), Integration with mobile phones, Precise timing (as for ATMs and power grids), Terrestial, aerial and marine navigation and mapping.

What is the Significance of Integrating NavIC in Smartphones for India?
• Reduced Dependency - The most important driver behind India developing NavIC was to reduce dependency on GPS and other global navigation systems which are controlled by other countries.
• Accuracy - NavIC provides more accurate domestic navigation. This can be particularly useful in applications like public vehicle tracking, providing emergency warning alerts to fishermen venturing into the deep sea where there is no terrestrial network connectivity, and tracking and providing information related to natural disasters.
• Economic Benefits - The use of NavIC would benefit the economy. For example, the government is considering making it a standard practice that all devices using GPS technology should have NavICpowered chipsets inside. This could potentially boost the domestic electronics industry.
• National Security - Having a homegrown navigation system can also have strategic advantages in terms of national security.
• Global Recognition - With global tech giants like Apple integrating NavIC in their devices, it marks a significant achievement for the country and gives global recognition to India’s technological capabilities.