Real-time train tracking is now operational on over 10,400 locomotives, while more than 40,000 fishing vessels are equipped with NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) receivers for tracking and emergency alerts, as per information shared in Parliament. The commercial and public use of NavIC has notably increased in recent years, with over 60 mobile handset models supporting positioning with NavIC. To bolster the system, ISRO is launching the NVS series of second-generation satellites.
Disaster alerts and personal distress connectivity are facilitated through GSAT and NavIC/GAGAN systems under the Vessel Communication and Support Systems (VCSS) of the Department of Fisheries. Additionally, search-and-rescue operations using three satellites under the COSPAS-SARSAT program have been instrumental in saving lives during distress incidents in the Indian service area. NavIC’s one-way messaging service broadcasts emergency warnings for cyclones, tsunamis, and high wave alerts directly to NavIC-enabled receivers on boats in collaboration with the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS).
The NavIC system offers potential fishing zone (PFZ) advisories to assist fishermen in locating fish aggregations, thereby saving fuel and time. It also provides International Maritime Boundary alerts to prevent accidental entry into foreign waters. Satellite internet services are increasingly crucial in bridging India’s digital gap, with programs like BharatNet and Digital India leveraging satellite connectivity for broadband expansion.
The benefits of communication satellites are evident in various applications such as television broadcasting, DTH television, telecommunication, Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) services, Radio networking, Headend In The Sky (HITS), Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG), In-Flight and Maritime Connectivity (IFMC), and societal applications.
