Kamal Ghorui
On March 13, 2026, Isro announced that the atomic clock aboard IRNSS-1F had stopped working, with the satellite completing “its 10-year mission life”. While the phrasing was restrained, the impact is worrying.
India’s homegrown satellite navigation system, born in response to the hard lessons of the 1999 Kargil War, is now under severe strain. Since 2013, India has launched 11 NavIC satellites, but only three are now reported to provide core navigation services, falling short of the minimum of four needed for reliable positioning.
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