5G smartphones will have to support indigenous NavIC GPS, deadline is till December 2025: Rajiv Chandrashekhar

A few months ago, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched the next-generation satellite in the Navik series for space. The full name of NavIC is Navigation with Indian Constellation. Apple's recently launched iPhone 15 series Pro models support NavIC technology.

This is the first time that Apple has given the option of Made in India GPS in its devices. If a new report is to be believed, the government is now planning to make it mandatory for 5G phones to integrate NavIC into their devices. Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajiv Chandrashekhar has said this to the media.

Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajiv Chandrashekhar has said that 5G devices to be launched in India will be launched with NavIC-powered chips. The government has set two deadlines for this. The first is that 5G phones will have to provide mandatory support for NavIC by January 1, 2025.

Second, all other phones operating in the L1 band that currently use the Global Positioning System (GPS) will have to support mandatory NavIC by December 2025. Let us tell you, currently NavIC has seven satellites in space and ISRO aims to increase it to 12 in the coming years.

Smartphone manufacturers, for their part, have expressed concern that the inclusion of NavIC could increase device prices. The government, on its part, plans to encourage brands to incorporate the NavIC system.

Rajeev Chandrashekhar also clarified that making NavIC mandatory does not mean that it will be the only navigation system. He further said that whether it is mobile phone manufacturers or automobile companies, NavIC will not be mandated as the sole navigation system.