India to have its own GPS system from 2018

Come next year, you won’t have to rely on heavily accented lady for directions on Google Maps. Instead India will be having its own GPS system. 'NavIC' will be operational early 2018.

"The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) with an operational name of NavIC is currently being tested for its accuracy and is most likely to be available in the market for public use early next year," Tapan Misra, the director of Ahmedabad-based Space Application Centre (SAC) told TOI.


NavIC or 'Navigation with Indian Constellation' the name given by PM Narendra Modi after the launch of IRNSS-1G, is designed to provide accurate position information to users within the country.

“Though American GPS with 24 satellites in a constellation has wider reach and covers the entire world, NavIC with seven satellites covers only India and its surroundings but is more accurate than the American system. NavIC will provide standard positioning service to all users with a position accuracy of 5 metre. The GPS, on the other hand, has a position accuracy of 20-30 metre," the SAC director TOI. The less the distance more is the accuracy of the navigation device in finding the real location.