NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is the operational name for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), an autonomous regional satellite navigation system developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The system's origin lies in the strategic necessity felt after the Kargil War in 1999, when the US denied the Indian military access to GPS data, highlighting the need for an independent, indigenous positioning system. The first satellite, IRNSS-1A, was launched on July 1, 2013, and the system was renamed NavIC in April 2016.
NavIC works through a constellation of seven satellites, with three in geostationary orbit (GEO) and four in inclined geosynchronous orbit (GSO), ensuring continuous visibility over the coverage area. This coverage extends over the entire Indian landmass and up to 1,500 km beyond its boundary. The system provides two services: the unencrypted Standard Positioning Service (SPS) for civilian users and the encrypted Restricted Service (RS) for authorized strategic users, with a position accuracy of better than 20 meters in the primary service area. NavIC uses dual frequencies, L5 and S-Band, which helps mitigate atmospheric errors more effectively than single-frequency systems.
The system is connected to global maritime navigation, having been recognized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as part of the Worldwide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS) for the Indian Ocean region in 2020. Furthermore, NavIC-based vehicle tracking systems were made mandatory for commercial vehicles in India in 2019. Recently, the system has been transitioning to the second generation (NVS series) satellites, which introduce the L1 frequency band for better interoperability with other global systems and feature indigenously developed rubidium atomic clocks. This upgrade is critical, as the older satellites have faced setbacks, including the failure of atomic clocks on units like IRNSS-1F in March 2026, which has temporarily reduced the number of fully functional satellites required for navigation services.