Russia Offers India Participation In GLONASS GPS Satellite Project

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin on Tuesday offered India a joint participation in the development of the GLONASS satellite navigation system. GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) operated by the Russian Government is currently the only alternative to the U.S’ Global Positioning System (GPS) in operation with global coverage and precision. "We have offered our Indian counterparts not only use of the Glonass system but also participation in upgrading it. We practically see it as a joint effort. I think our Indian counterparts will be interested in it," Rogozin was quoted as saying to Russian journalists during his current visit to New Delhi. GPS has become increasing significant in day-to-day activities as everything from smart phones, aviation and seafaring navigation and even most social media rely on location data facilitated by GPS satellites. Nations are building their own location technology to decrease reliance on GPS managed by the U.S in the event of a war or other geo-political confrontation. Some countries are already in the process of developing their own global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) in space for their critical civilian and military operations. GLONASS is only the second worldwide navigation system to be fully operational following the U.S. GPS. The European Union is currently developing a global system planned to be operational by 2014. India’s navigation system covering the Northern Indian Ocean is expected to be operational this year and China plans to launch its own system by the end of 2020. In all there are five navigation satellites being developed or in place around the world including; Galileo, being developed by the European Union, GLONASS, managed by Russia, COMPASS, by China, IRNSS by India and QZSS in Japan. In 2004, the U.S and EU signed an agreement allowing cooperation on their respective systems, the Global Positioning System and Galileo, in an effort to double systems capacities. In 2010, GLONASS successfully achieved 100 per cent coverage of Russia’s territory. The following year full global coverage was enabled with the restoration of 24 full orbital constellation satellites. Over the last four years, India and Russia have been cooperating on the use of GLONASS. Should India accept Russia’s invitation, it will be upgraded to an equal-joint partner in upgrading the system. First launched in 1993, the Global Navigation Satellite System fixes the location and speed of surface, sea and air objects to within an accuracy of one meter. Russia is expected to spend approximately $12 billion on the development of GLONASS by the end of 2020. Defenseworld Team