[Answered] Discuss the potential application and significance of NavIC (Navigation in Indian Constellation).

Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) is an independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide position information in the Indian region and 1500 km around the Indian mainland. It is a regional system and will consist of seven satellites.

Significance of NavIC:

1. It give real time information for 2 services i.e standard positioning service open for civilian use and Restricted service which may be encrypted for authorised user like for military. Currently we uses GPS system of USA for navigation.
2. India became one of the 5 countries having their own navigation system like GPS of USA, GLONASS of Russia, Galileo of Europe and BeiDu of China. So India dependence on other countries for navigation purposes reduces.
3. It will help in scientific & technological advancement of India.
4. It will make Indian Armed Forces self-reliant. While advanced nations like US and Russia are having GPS and GLONASS, countries like China, European Union and Japan are trying to have their own full-fledged or partial constellations.
5. Further with an extensive coverage, one of the stated future use of the project includes sharing of the project with the SAARC nations. This will help in integrating the regional navigation system further and a diplomatic goodwill gesture from India towards countries of the region.
6. It is important for the country’s sovereignty and strategic requirements.

Application of IRNSS:

1. Disaster Management: It will help in sending early warning to people of country particularly coastal areas about cyclones, tsunamis, heavy storms etc. and would help in monitoring & rescue operations during disaster times. It will help to mitigate the disaster effects by providing information of disaster timing, safe location and also help the disaster relief management to make earlier plans and save the lives of people in India as well as up to 1500 km around it.
2. Security: It would help in enhancing India’s security by better monitoring of any terrorist activity in border areas, surveillance of strategic infrastructure etc.
3. Defence: In terms of Military Application, the project will be a force multiplier for the Indian Defence Unit. The wide spectrum of utility it serves from target fixing, missile and weapon delivery, avoiding civilian causalities, unit location and direction, vision clarity in bad weather etc. will enhance the capacity of defence both war and peace time.
4. Mapping and data capture: It will help in accurate measurement and understanding of the region.
5. Tourism: Short & long distance travellers and mountain hikers can use navigation satellite system which would be more accurate.
6. Town planing: It will help in better planning and urban development with use of geographical date.
7. Forest department: It will help in tracking endangered animals, better prevention of forest fires etc.
8. Employment: It will help the mariners for far navigation and fisherman for get information about the valuable fisheries location and any disturbance in Sea.

Having a global navigation system bolsters the ability of a nation to serve as a net security provider, especially through the guarantee of such assurance policies. It can also play a significant role in relief efforts post disasters such as the tsunami in the Indian Ocean region in 2004 and the Pakistan-India earthquake in 2005.