ISRO Chairman V Narayanan inaugurated Ananth Technologies’ Ananth Centre of Excellence for Navigation (ACEN) (named after Ananth Technologies) in Thiruvananthapuram, marking the launch of India’s first private-sector navigation innovation hub.

This development signifies a major step towards India securing full autonomy in critical navigation technologies, a sector vital for defence, space, and civilian infrastructure. The event drew senior officials from defence, space, and academic institutions, highlighting the strategic importance of the initiative.

Ananth Technologies, established in 1992, has been a key contributor to major ISRO and DRDO missions, known for its expertise in precision sensors, airworthiness protocols, and system integration for satellites and launch vehicles.

Navigation is described as the invisible backbone of modern defence and civilian systems, underpinning the accuracy and success of missiles, aircraft, ships, and satellites. Past experiences revealed strategic vulnerabilities arising from reliance on foreign GPS during conflicts, exposing the critical need for indigenous capabilities.

A significant challenge ACEN aims to address is the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of navigation systems in defence platforms, many of which currently depend on proprietary foreign manufacturers.

This has forced India to send malfunctioning units abroad, causing delays and impacting operational readiness. ACEN is designed as a strategic centre to build and evolve next-generation navigation and inertial technologies domestically, thus eliminating foreign dependencies.

Aligned with India’s Vision 2035, ACEN’s mission is to achieve full-spectrum autonomy through indigenous sensor development, AI-driven navigation fusion, and enhanced adoption of the NavIC system in civil and military sectors. Collaboration among industry, academia, and scientific organisations is central to its efforts.

By 2035, India aims to have developed resilient, assured, and globally competitive navigation systems across defence, aerospace, and civilian platforms, a crucial contribution to the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and national strategic sovereignty.

This new centre is expected to reduce costs significantly by eliminating imports and fostering indigenous production, ultimately strengthening India’s technological and operational independence in navigation systems.

ISRO Chairman Narayanan expressed optimism that private sector involvement like Ananth Technologies’ initiative would accelerate India’s navigation technology capabilities and support the country’s broader vision of self-reliance and advanced technological development by 2047.​

Based On UNI Report