Why not just keep using GPS phones?

Phones can use GPS in peacetime. A sovereign constellation is for denial, jamming, and national timing when the foreign owner’s interest is not India’s.

Can seven satellites match GPS accuracy worldwide?

No. They are meant to serve a region well. Global coverage still needs GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, or BeiDou as complements.

What do you understand by "Standard Positioning System" and "Precision

Revision summary

Open summary Close summary

GPS SPS is the open civil positioning service; PPS is the encrypted military service with better integrity. India does not control GPS and can face denial, jamming, or a time outage in a crisis. IRNSS uses seven GEO and geosynchronous satellites to cover India and a 1,500 km belt. It offers an Indian open service and a Restricted Service for authorised users. Gains are strategic autonomy, defence use, disaster and transport applications, and indigenous timing for critical infrastructure.

Model answer

Flow diagram

flowchart TD
  GPS[GPS constellation] --> SPS[SPS civil open]
  GPS --> PPS[PPS military encrypted]
  IRN[IRNSS seven satellites] --> ISPS[Indian open SPS]
  IRN --> RS[Restricted Service]
  ISPS --> AUT[Sovereign PNT over India]
  RS --> AUT

Conclusion

Finish and replenish the seven-satellite fleet, keep spare launches, and harden ground stations against cyber and physical attack.
Mandate NavIC in public vehicles, phones sold in India, and disaster sirens so the civil SPS is actually used, not only demonstrated.
Pair NavIC with GAGAN and later multi-GNSS chipsets so users are not blind if one system fails.

SPS is the open civil GPS fix; PPS is the encrypted military fix. IRNSS copies that split on seven regional satellites that stay over India. The advantage is not beating GPS worldwide. It is an Indian signal, Indian time, and an Indian restricted service when a foreign owner could deny or degrade GPS.

Quick related

Students also ask

What are the areas of prohibitive labour that can be sustainably managed by robots? Discuss the initiatives that can propel the research in premier research institutes for substantive and gainful innovation.
Next question on this syllabus topic (2015 · Q12). View answer →
Why not just keep using GPS phones?

Phones can use GPS in peacetime. A sovereign constellation is for denial, jamming, and national timing when the foreign owner’s interest is not India’s.
Can seven satellites match GPS accuracy worldwide?

No. They are meant to serve a region well. Global coverage still needs GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, or BeiDou as complements.

PYQ trend

When UPSC asked this

Related PYQs from other years, newest first. Open a question to read it.

Toppers' copies

Toppers' copies for this question will be uploaded soon.

What do you understand by "Standard Positioning System" and "Precision positioning system" in the GPS era? Discuss the advantage India perceives from its ambitious IRNSS programme employing just seven satellites.

Revision summary

Model answer

Flow diagram

Conclusion

Students also ask

When UPSC asked this

More from this topic

Why is maritime security vital to protect India's sea trade? Discuss maritime and coastal security challenges and the way forward.

India aims to become a semiconductor manufacturing hub. What are the challenges faced by the semiconductor industry in India? Mention the salient features of the India Semiconductor Mission.

Discuss the rationale of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. What are its achievements? In what way can the functioning and outcomes of the scheme be improved?

Toppers' copies