India’s indigenous navigation program has reached a critical juncture, with a Parliamentary Standing Committee urging the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to rely entirely on home-grown atomic clocks for its constellation of navigation satellites.

The recommendation comes against the backdrop of repeated failures of imported European atomic clocks, which have severely affected the operational capacity of the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), formerly known as the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

ISRO initially launched nine first-generation IRNSS satellites, designated 1A through 1I, equipped with European atomic clocks. Over time, these clocks began to fail, leaving only three satellites capable of providing positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services.

The situation worsened when the last functional clock on IRNSS-1F failed shortly after completing its planned ten-year mission earlier this month. Several satellites, including IRNSS-1D and IRNSS-1H, have already been decommissioned or rendered ineffective due to technical anomalies.

At present, five satellites continue to provide one-way broadcast messaging services, while only three remain capable of delivering PNT services. The NVS-02 satellite, though launched as part of the second-generation series, is stuck in an elliptical orbit and offers only limited functionality.

This has raised concerns about the resilience of India’s navigation infrastructure, especially given its strategic importance for defence, civilian applications, and technological autonomy.

The Department of Space has acknowledged the shortcomings of foreign-sourced atomic clocks and is working to boost the production capacity of indigenous variants. ISRO has already begun deploying Indian atomic clocks on its second-generation navigation satellites, with the NVS-01 satellite marking a significant step forward.

The organisation is planning to launch three more satellites—NVS-03, NVS-04, and NVS-05—by September 2027, with one launch scheduled every six months. The NVS-05 satellite, in particular, could mark the full transition to indigenous atomic clocks, depending on the performance of those already in orbit.

The Committee’s recommendation underscores the strategic imperative of self-reliance in critical technologies. By reducing dependence on external suppliers, India aims to secure its navigation capabilities against vulnerabilities and ensure long-term sustainability of NavIC. The move aligns with

Agencies