Isro's NVS-03 launch: The Kargil lesson and why India wants its own 'desi GPS'

NEW DELHI: Isro’s navigation satellite NVS-03 carries an indigenous atomic clock along with procured atomic clocks and, if successfully placed in the intended orbit on Friday night, it will strengthen India’s indigenous satellite navigation system or desi GPS, known as Navigation with Indian Constellation (NaVIC).The scheduled launch of NVS-03 by the GSLV-F18 rocket from Sriharikota at 11.51 pm (IST) on Friday, if successful, will complete the quorum of a minimum of four satellites needed for NavIC to run effectively. Currently, NaVIC is down to three satellites (IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1I, and NVS-01).But as four operational satellites are required for a standalone GPS-style position tracking system to work, NaVIC is currently not being used by the armed forces for the purposes of missile navigation, precise positioning and coordination of warships at sea, and indigenous navigation support for troop movement and combat aircraft.