India's Own 'GPS' Is Running Low. ISRO's Next Launch Will Fix It

By Jagjagran | 4 October 2026

Most of us don't think twice about GPS. We open Google Maps, follow the blue dot, and get where we're going. But here's something many people don't know: that GPS is American. It's owned and run by the US military.

India has long wanted its own version. And it has one — it's called NavIC. The problem? Right now, NavIC is running on fumes.

Let me explain. A satellite navigation system needs a minimum number of satellites working together to pinpoint your location. For NavIC to work on its own, it needs at least four. At the moment, only three are functioning. That's one short.

This is why ISRO's next launch matters so much. The space agency is getting ready to send up a satellite called NVS-03. When it reaches orbit, NavIC will be back to four working satellites — and back in business. Reports suggest the launch could happen in mid-October, though ISRO hasn't fixed an official date yet.

So why does India even need its own system when GPS works fine?

The answer goes back to the Kargil War of 1999. During that conflict, India wanted precise location data from the American GPS and was reportedly denied it. That stung. It made our leaders realise that depending on another country's system during a crisis is dangerous. As one defence expert put it, "What they lack is a fully Indian fallback they can trust in a crisis."

NavIC covers India and about 1,500 km around its borders. It has an open signal for ordinary people and a secret, encrypted one for the armed forces. The new satellite carries a signal called L1 — and that's the clever part, because L1 is the same type ordinary phones and smartwatches use. So over time, NavIC could work directly in your gadgets.

There's a bit of history to be aware of too. The previous satellite in this series, NVS-02, failed to reach its correct orbit back in January 2025 because a valve didn't open. So there's extra pressure on this one to go right.

If NVS-03 succeeds, India gets back a navigation system it fully owns and controls — for its soldiers, its ships, and eventually, its citizens.

Sources: The Week, ISRO updates, Times of India.