Over the last sixteen months, Pakistan launched six Earth-observation satellites with substantial Chinese support.
Experts say this has created a capable surveillance constellation that monitors Indian territory frequently and with high precision.
These launches began before the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s Operation Sindoor, indicating a strategic push to strengthen intelligence capabilities.
Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai noted that the satellites’ architecture, sensors, and institutional backing suggest clear strategic and military purposes.
The new constellation is not merely civilian; it provides persistent monitoring over military and strategic locations.
India’s NavIC Faces Serious Challenges
India’s Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), developed by ISRO, now struggles to maintain reliable positioning services.
The system provides Positioning, Navigation, and Timing services across India and extends roughly 1,500 kilometers beyond national borders.
It supports civilian users and encrypted military operations essential for strategic decision-making.
Several first-generation satellites launched between 2013 and 2016 are at or beyond their design life.
Failures of rubidium atomic clocks have made some satellites unable to deliver accurate navigation signals.
The NVS-02 second-generation satellite failed to reach its operational orbit due to propulsion issues, worsening the constellation’s capability.
Currently, only a handful of satellites, including IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1I, and NVS-01, remain fully functional for navigation services.
A robust regional navigation system ideally requires seven operational satellites, whereas a minimum of four is needed for reliable coverage.
ISRO’s Response
ISRO is actively preparing replacement satellites as part of the second-generation NavIC constellation.
These new satellites will add L1-band signals alongside existing L5 and S-band frequencies to strengthen positioning capabilities.
Despite the setbacks, the programme continues to ensure India retains sovereign navigation independence and strategic resilience.
