Charting India’s Own Course: Space Startups and the Future of PNT Sovereignty

India stands at a crossroads on its journey towards autonomy in positioning, navigation, and timing (PXNT) systems. We know that these efforts were significantly stepped up after being denied vital GPS data during the Kargil conflict, and ISRO is working to put some operational setbacks behind it to build out its NavIC (navigation via Indian constellation) system.

In addition to the geostrategic imperative, owning a robust sovereign PNT network would also bring India significant economic benefits. America’s GPS, which turned 50 last year, has demonstrated this to the world, having generated an estimated $1.4 trillion in cumulative value since it became more widely available starting in the 1980s.

The overall Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) market—dominated by GPS but including the EU’s Galileo, Russia’s GLONASS, China’s BeiDou, and the two regional systems of Japan and India—is expanding rapidly, with estimates putting its value at $208 billion in 2023 and projecting it to more than double by 2032.

Recent conflicts are exposing critical vulnerabilities in traditional navigation systems. GPS jamming and ‘spoofing’ around Ukraine has created signal disruption zones extending more than 1,200 miles above Earth's surface. These interference patterns now affect LEO satellites orbiting at much higher altitudes than originally anticipated. The jamming creates “giant holes” in GPS coverage, which impacts small satellites equipped with standard GPS receivers.

The world’s biggest powers have moved to develop alternatives. Prominent among them are Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks that promise more robust navigation services. The United States Space Force has awarded $37.3 million to five major defence contractors, including Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Viasat, to develop jam-resistant Protected Tactical Satcom-Global systems.

The programme carries a total contract ceiling of $4 billion and aims to deploy new satellites by 2028. This initiative reflects growing recognition that current medium Earth orbit systems cannot provide adequate protection against sophisticated electronic warfare tactics.

LEO satellites operating at altitudes between 500 and 1,200 kilometres provide significantly stronger signals than traditional GNSS systems. The reduced distance to Earth's surface means LEO navigation signals can deliver more than ten times the accuracy of current GPS systems. These satellites also offer faster signal acquisition and improved performance in urban environments where tall buildings block traditional satellite signals.

On the other hand, being much closer to Earth will mean that many more LEO satellites will be needed to match the same coverage offered by the current GNSS satellites that are in medium Earth orbits between 19,000 km and 23,000 km from Earth. While a GNSS constellation of about 30 satellites will provide 8-10 satellites visible from Earth from a given location, we will need about 10X that number of LEO satellites to provide the same visibility, meaning as many as 300 LEO satellites per constellation.

Japan's space agency plans to deploy 480 LEO satellites for ultra-rapid, precise positioning services. China has launched more than ten LEO navigation satellites over the past five years and expects to complete its constellation within three to four years. These systems use multiple approaches, including dedicated positioning satellites, ‘signals of opportunity’ from communication satellites, and integrated communication-navigation platforms.

As ISRO plans its next-generation NavIC satellites, India’s emerging space-tech startups could augment and make significant progress in multiple areas, including their ability to contribute meaningfully to next-generation PNT systems.

For example, VyomIC, a Chennai-based startup founded by IIT Madras alumni, has emerged as one of the first Indian ventures to outline a commercial LEO navigation constellation. Branded VyomIC, the project calls for a fleet of 125 to 150 satellites flying at approximately 1,000 kilometres, each weighing 30 to 50 kilograms and designed for a five- to seven-year service life.

The company expects that chip-scale timing devices will replace traditional atomic clocks, which cuts long-term costs while still meeting sub-1m accuracy targets. VyomIC is planning a phased test programme starting with rooftop payload trials, then a four-satellite link test, and finally an in-orbit demonstration using ISRO’s PSLV Orbital Experimental Module platform, UNI India reports.

VyomIC expects it can offer subscriptions and perpetual-licence services to customers in sectors including automotive, agriculture, and maritime. It can also cater to the defence needs of resilient timing in jammed environments.

Exciting public-private partnerships are emerging in India’s space economy in other areas, too. A consortium led by private startups was recently awarded a contract from the the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to design, build, launch, and operate the country’s first wholly indigenous commercial Earth Observation (EO) satellite constellation.

India could eventually buy capacity from fully private constellations, echoing procurement models already used for launch vehicles. If startups such as VyomIC build their constellations on schedule, it would give India a sovereign alternative to foreign LEO positioning networks and lower the strain on NavIC.

India’s private space-tech startups will likely play an increasingly central role in building the country’s future PNT systems, reducing dependence on foreign systems while supporting both strategic needs and the growth of commerce.