India becomes 4th nation to get an IMO nod for NaviC.
                     INDIA BECOMES 4TH 
NATION TO GET AN 
IMO NOD FOR NAVIC
INTRODUCTION
• India has become the fourth 
country in the world to be 
recognised as part of the World 
Wide Radio Navigation System 
(WWRNS) by the International 
Maritime Organization (IMO) for its 
autonomous regional navigation 
satellite system. 
• The US, Russia and China are the 
other three countries which have 
their navigation systems 
acknowledged by the IMO.
Source: indianexpress.com
LOCATION 
INFORMATION 
SERVICES
• The Indian Regional Navigation 
Satellite System (IRNSS) was 
developed to provide precise 
location information services to 
help steer ships in the waters of 
the Indian Ocean. 
Source: indianexpress.com
I RN S S  APPR OVA L
• US-owned Global Position System 
(GPS) or Russia's Global 
Navigation Satellite System 
(GLONASS), a process that took 
two years, the Director General of 
Shipping (DGS) approached the 
IMO to give IRNSS approval as a 
part of the WWRNS.
Source: Affairscloud.com
SATELLITE NAVIGATION
• The IMO has encouraged different 
countries to develop their own 
schemes for satellite navigation. 
• As an alternate navigation 
module, the IMO has now 
approved IRNSS. 
Source: indianexpress.com
P I LO T  B AS IS
• IRNSS was previously in use only 
on a pilot basis, but now all 
merchant vessels, including small 
fishing vessels, are allowed to use 
it.
Source: indianexpress.com
I R N S S
• The IRNSS was a new and more 
precise navigation device, and 
there are now at least 2,500 
merchant vessels in Indian waters 
capable of using the system at 
any given time. 
Source: eurasiantimes.com
ADVA N TAG E
• The IRNSS will be used to help 
steer ships in ocean waters within 
an area about 1,500 km from the 
Indian border.
Source: thenewsminute.com
ACCURACY OF THE 
DEVICE
• In the study prepared by the 
Indian Space Research 
Organisation (ISRO), which was 
sent to the IMO for consideration, 
specifics of the tests carried out 
on merchant ships with regard to 
the accuracy of the device were 
included.
Source: indianexpress.com
ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT
• It was counted as a significant 
achievement of the Union 
Government's 'Atmanirbhar 
Bharat' initiative.
Source: indianexpress.com
WORLDWIDE RADIO 
NAVIGATION SYSTEM
• The IMO Maritime Safety 
Committee accepted the 
identification of the IRNSS as a 
part of the Worldwide Radio 
Navigation System during its 
recent meeting held from 4 to 11 
November 2020.
Source: geotab.com