With exactly a month to go for the polling day(April 23rd) in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, seat-sharing between the major National Democratic Alliance partners in the state has been announced. The NDA in Tamil Nadu is led by the state's Principal opposition party, AIADMK. The BJP, AMMK, PMK, and many small parties are part of this alliance. As for major allies, the BJP is being allocated 27 seats, PMK is being allocated 18 seats, and AMMK is being allocated 11 seats. Tamil Nadu has a total of 234 assembly constituencies.&nbsp;This announcement was made during BJP leader and Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's Chennai visit. Following a brief meeting with NDA leaders at a private venue in the city, Goyal visited the AIADMK Headquarters, where AIADMK Chief Edappadi Palaniswami revealed the number of seats being allocated. Goyal, who is BJP's Election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, is visiting the state following the weekend meetings that AIADMK and AMMK chiefs held in New Delhi with Union Home Minister and BJP's Chief election strategist Amit Shah.&nbsp;"Tamil Nadu today is ready for an NDA Government. A strong NDA under the guidance and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi, who yesterday surpassed the record and became the longest-serving head of government in the history of India. Having served for nearly 25 years as Chief Minister and Prime Minister, he has shown how good governance can transform the destiny of the people of India," Goyal said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/war-drums-in-west-green-energy-in-bharat-india-powers-global-south-at-bharat-electricity-summit-2026-1774267093285">War drums in West, green energy in Bharat! India powers Global South at Bharat Electricity Summit 2026</a>&nbsp;He added that the people of Tamil Nadu want a government led by the future Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami. "A government that will bring development for farmers, fishermen, MSMEs, industry, provide jobs to youth, give opportunity to startups, provide quality healthcare and education, will give houses for the poor, ensure that everybody gets opportunity to prosper in life," Goyal said, describing the NDA's vision for Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;A developed Tamil Nadu will lead to a developed India. We will ensure that Tamil pride, culture, language, and the people of the state, have a very bright future, he added.&nbsp; While the national ruling party BJP, has been allocated 27 seats in the AIADMK-led Opposition front, Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK has allocated 28 seats to their longstanding ally Congress, which is the principal opposition party at the national level.&nbsp;In the 2021 Assembly poll, BJP was allocated 20 seats as part of the AIADMK-led front, of which the BJP ended up winning four seats. The AIADMK's 10-year streak in power came to an end in 2021, as the DMK led by MK Stalin won the elections.

The NDA in Tamil Nadu is led by the state's Principal opposition party, AIADMK. The BJP, AMMK, PMK, and many small parties are part of this alliance. As for major allies, the BJP is being allocated 27 seats, PMK is being allocated 18 seats, and AMMK is being allocated 11 seats.

With exactly a month to go for the polling day(April 23rd) in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, seat-sharing between the major National Democratic Alliance partners in the state has been announced. The NDA in Tamil Nadu is led by the state's Principal opposition party, AIADMK. The BJP, AMMK, PMK, and many small parties are part of this alliance. As for major allies, the BJP is being allocated 27 seats, PMK is being allocated 18 seats, and AMMK is being allocated 11 seats. Tamil Nadu has a total of 234 assembly constituencies. This announcement was made during BJP leader and Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's Chennai visit. Following a brief meeting with NDA leaders at a private venue in the city, Goyal visited the AIADMK Headquarters, where AIADMK Chief Edappadi Palaniswami revealed the number of seats being allocated. Goyal, who is BJP's Election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, is visiting the state following the weekend meetings that AIADMK and AMMK chiefs held in New Delhi with Union Home Minister and BJP's Chief election strategist Amit Shah. "Tamil Nadu today is ready for an NDA Government. A strong NDA under the guidance and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi, who yesterday surpassed the record and became the longest-serving head of government in the history of India. Having served for nearly 25 years as Chief Minister and Prime Minister, he has shown how good governance can transform the destiny of the people of India," Goyal said. Also Read: War drums in West, green energy in Bharat! India powers Global South at Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 He added that the people of Tamil Nadu want a government led by the future Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami. "A government that will bring development for farmers, fishermen, MSMEs, industry, provide jobs to youth, give opportunity to startups, provide quality healthcare and education, will give houses for the poor, ensure that everybody gets opportunity to prosper in life," Goyal said, describing the NDA's vision for Tamil Nadu. A developed Tamil Nadu will lead to a developed India. We will ensure that Tamil pride, culture, language, and the people of the state, have a very bright future, he added. While the national ruling party BJP, has been allocated 27 seats in the AIADMK-led Opposition front, Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK has allocated 28 seats to their longstanding ally Congress, which is the principal opposition party at the national level. In the 2021 Assembly poll, BJP was allocated 20 seats as part of the AIADMK-led front, of which the BJP ended up winning four seats. The AIADMK's 10-year streak in power came to an end in 2021, as the DMK led by MK Stalin won the elections.

The NDA in Tamil Nadu is led by the state's Principal opposition party, AIADMK. The BJP, AMMK, PMK, and many small parties are part of this alliance. As for major allies, the BJP is being allocated 27 seats, PMK is being allocated 18 seats, and AMMK is being allocated 11 seats.

Tamil Nadu NDA seat-sharing deal: BJP to contest in 27 seats

With barely a month to go for the April 23rd Tamil Nadu polls, the state's opposition leader and AIADMK Chief Edappadi Palaniswami and his allies are in the national capital New Delhi to decide seat-sharing with the BJP top brass. While the larger NDA alliance between the BJP and the AIADMK was firmed up and formally announced in April 2025, seat-sharing talks continue within the NDA alliance. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who has been portraying this election as a battle between Team Tamil Nadu (DMK-led alliance) and Team Delhi (BJP-led alliance), has lashed out at the opposition, saying that all their decisions are being made in Delhi.In his letter to party cadre, DMK Chief MK Stalin highlighted the schemes and achievements of their government, and shared the vision for the years ahead. He also stated that the DMK's Manifesto for the 2026 Assembly polls would be released soon. Stalin urged party cadres to publicise the impact of their government's achievements and welfare initiatives among the masses."While we have delivered good governance and many achievements over the last five years, it has not been easy. We had to fight the vengeful, anti-Tamil stance of the Union BJP Government, while fighting for state rights, safeguarding democracy," Stalin said in the letter. He explained that this was why he described the impending Tamil Nadu election as a battle between Team Tamil Nadu and Team Delhi. Citing that the NDA is conducting its seat-sharing talks in Delhi, Stalin said that it shows that all NDA decisions are being made there, which reconfirms that the poll battle is between Tamil Nadu and Delhi.Stalin queried, why are the opposition leader and his allies in Delhi? Is it to reclaim the funds that are due for Tamil Nadu? Is it to demand completion of stalled developmental projects in Tamil Nadu? Is it to protect state rights? Is it to resolve the ongoing LPG cylinder shortage?"The opposition NDA is least bothered about the LPG shortage situation in homes in Tamil Nadu, and despite that, they continue their seat-sharing talks. The people of Tamil Nadu will never permit domination by Delhi and the slaves of Delhi. The people have realised that they will have to suffer every day if the state is under the control of those who need Delhi's consent to even face the election," Stalin attacked the opposition.The public knows that the opposition party will not hesitate to pawn off Tamil Nadu to Delhi, just like how they have done with their own party, Stalin lashed out at the AIADMK. Further, he said that the people of Tamil Nadu realise that the decision taken by the opposition party is the decision taken by Delhi. Stalin expressed confidence that the people of Tamil Nadu are aware that the DMK-led Secular Progressive alliance is the one that can protect the state's rights, while taking it on the path of development. Owing to the hard work of our party cadre, I am sure that we will win the 2026 polls, Stalin said in the letter.&nbsp;

In his letter to party cadre, DMK Chief MK Stalin highlighted the schemes and achievements of their government, and shared the vision for the years ahead.

With barely a month to go for the April 23rd Tamil Nadu polls, the state's opposition leader and AIADMK Chief Edappadi Palaniswami and his allies are in the national capital New Delhi to decide seat-sharing with the BJP top brass. While the larger NDA alliance between the BJP and the AIADMK was firmed up and formally announced in April 2025, seat-sharing talks continue within the NDA alliance. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who has been portraying this election as a battle between Team Tamil Nadu (DMK-led alliance) and Team Delhi (BJP-led alliance), has lashed out at the opposition, saying that all their decisions are being made in Delhi. In his letter to party cadre, DMK Chief MK Stalin highlighted the schemes and achievements of their government, and shared the vision for the years ahead. He also stated that the DMK's Manifesto for the 2026 Assembly polls would be released soon. Stalin urged party cadres to publicise the impact of their government's achievements and welfare initiatives among the masses. "While we have delivered good governance and many achievements over the last five years, it has not been easy. We had to fight the vengeful, anti-Tamil stance of the Union BJP Government, while fighting for state rights, safeguarding democracy," Stalin said in the letter. He explained that this was why he described the impending Tamil Nadu election as a battle between Team Tamil Nadu and Team Delhi. Citing that the NDA is conducting its seat-sharing talks in Delhi, Stalin said that it shows that all NDA decisions are being made there, which reconfirms that the poll battle is between Tamil Nadu and Delhi. Stalin queried, why are the opposition leader and his allies in Delhi? Is it to reclaim the funds that are due for Tamil Nadu? Is it to demand completion of stalled developmental projects in Tamil Nadu? Is it to protect state rights? Is it to resolve the ongoing LPG cylinder shortage? "The opposition NDA is least bothered about the LPG shortage situation in homes in Tamil Nadu, and despite that, they continue their seat-sharing talks. The people of Tamil Nadu will never permit domination by Delhi and the slaves of Delhi. The people have realised that they will have to suffer every day if the state is under the control of those who need Delhi's consent to even face the election," Stalin attacked the opposition. The public knows that the opposition party will not hesitate to pawn off Tamil Nadu to Delhi, just like how they have done with their own party, Stalin lashed out at the AIADMK. Further, he said that the people of Tamil Nadu realise that the decision taken by the opposition party is the decision taken by Delhi. Stalin expressed confidence that the people of Tamil Nadu are aware that the DMK-led Secular Progressive alliance is the one that can protect the state's rights, while taking it on the path of development. Owing to the hard work of our party cadre, I am sure that we will win the 2026 polls, Stalin said in the letter.

In his letter to party cadre, DMK Chief MK Stalin highlighted the schemes and achievements of their government, and shared the vision for the years ahead.

'Everything is decided in Delhi': Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin hits out at NDA

As the war in West Asia rages on for more than three weeks, Israeli firm ICL group (formerly a government firm known as Israel Chemicals Ltd) has announced the opening of a production facility in India that will churn out Water-Soluble Fertilizers (WSF). While India produces large quantities of Nitrogen-based fertilizers (urea), the country imports about 90% of its Water-Soluble Fertilizer needs, as per estimates. WSFs are specialized fertilizers that dissolve completely in water and are applied through irrigation systems or as sprays on leaves, as opposed to conventional fertilizers that are applied on soil.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to the firm, their specialty fertilizer production facility is launched in Maharashtra at a critical time, as the world faces fertilizer supply disruptions due to the ongoing geopolitical instability in West Asia and the resultant closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping corridor. Estimates say that a significant quantity of global fertilizer and fertilizer raw material volumes pass through the strait of Hormuz.&nbsp;Agriculture is among the diverse list of domains that the Indian and Israeli Governments have been closely cooperating on. This new factory supports the Government of India’s Make-in-India initiative, ICL group said. The manufacturing facility spanning across seven acres (28,000 square meters) will replicate ICL’s advanced production model currently operating in Israel, and will roll out the same high-quality, water-soluble Nitrogen Phosphorous Potassium(NPK) fertilizer products currently exported from their home country.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to ICL, Maharashtra represents the largest market for water-soluble fertilizers in India, making it a natural choice for establishing the manufacturing unit. Further, the location also offers strategic advantages in terms of connectivity and access to key agricultural regions, the company added.&nbsp;&nbsp;"While initial production will scale progressively, we are targeting a capacity of approximately 30,000 tons over the coming years. Our primary focus is serving the rapidly growing agricultural market in India, which remains a key strategic priority for us. At the same time, we are well positioned to leverage export opportunities, particularly for any surplus capacity, allowing us to optimize utilization while expanding our presence in select international markets," Nir Ilani, President of the Growing Solutions Division of ICL told WION.&nbsp; While Ilani did not specify the quantum of investment into the Indian facility, he said that their firm made a "strategic investment with a clear view toward long-term growth". "With geopolitical tensions disrupting global trade routes and delaying fertilizer shipments through a key corridor such as the Strait of Hormuz, building local production capacity is essential. This facility enhances India’s supply resilience and ensures farmers have consistent access to high-quality solutions," he added.

Amid West Asia war disruption, Israeli firm sets up fertilizer manufacturing unit in India

As the war in West Asia rages on for more than three weeks, Israeli firm ICL group (formerly a government firm known as Israel Chemicals Ltd) has announced the opening of a production facility in India that will churn out Water-Soluble Fertilizers (WSF). While India produces large quantities of Nitrogen-based fertilizers (urea), the country imports about 90% of its Water-Soluble Fertilizer needs, as per estimates. WSFs are specialized fertilizers that dissolve completely in water and are applied through irrigation systems or as sprays on leaves, as opposed to conventional fertilizers that are applied on soil. According to the firm, their specialty fertilizer production facility is launched in Maharashtra at a critical time, as the world faces fertilizer supply disruptions due to the ongoing geopolitical instability in West Asia and the resultant closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping corridor. Estimates say that a significant quantity of global fertilizer and fertilizer raw material volumes pass through the strait of Hormuz. Agriculture is among the diverse list of domains that the Indian and Israeli Governments have been closely cooperating on. This new factory supports the Government of India’s Make-in-India initiative, ICL group said. The manufacturing facility spanning across seven acres (28,000 square meters) will replicate ICL’s advanced production model currently operating in Israel, and will roll out the same high-quality, water-soluble Nitrogen Phosphorous Potassium(NPK) fertilizer products currently exported from their home country. According to ICL, Maharashtra represents the largest market for water-soluble fertilizers in India, making it a natural choice for establishing the manufacturing unit. Further, the location also offers strategic advantages in terms of connectivity and access to key agricultural regions, the company added. "While initial production will scale progressively, we are targeting a capacity of approximately 30,000 tons over the coming years. Our primary focus is serving the rapidly growing agricultural market in India, which remains a key strategic priority for us. At the same time, we are well positioned to leverage export opportunities, particularly for any surplus capacity, allowing us to optimize utilization while expanding our presence in select international markets," Nir Ilani, President of the Growing Solutions Division of ICL told WION. While Ilani did not specify the quantum of investment into the Indian facility, he said that their firm made a "strategic investment with a clear view toward long-term growth". "With geopolitical tensions disrupting global trade routes and delaying fertilizer shipments through a key corridor such as the Strait of Hormuz, building local production capacity is essential. This facility enhances India’s supply resilience and ensures farmers have consistent access to high-quality solutions," he added.

As per the firm, their specialty fertilizer production facility is launched in Maharashtra at a time, as the world faces fertilizer supply disruptions due to the ongoing geopolitical instability in West Asia and the resultant closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping corridor

Actor-politician Vijay has dismissed the speculation that his fledgling political outfit has been in talks with the opposition National Democratic Alliance in poll-bound Tamil Nadu. The Southern Indian state is is to vote on 23rd April. With barely a month to go for the polls, Vijay has stated that his party would not compromise on its principles of secularism and social justice. While Vijay did not explicitly mention any political party while making these remarks, it is widely seen as a measure to distance himself from the BJP-AIADMK, which comprise the NDA in Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;Founded in 2024, Vijay's Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam(TVK) will be making its debut in the upcoming elections. "Since the time we(TVK) forayed into politics, there's been a lot of rumours that we are part of this faction or that faction... I am not part of any team...I am in people's team... Everyone knows this...Then, they tried spreading other rumours also, that also did not work out," Vijay said at an Iftar celebration hosted by his party.&nbsp;After spreading rumours and having failed, then they started a false propaganda that he(Vijay) will join a certain alliance or another. Our cadre would have gotten confused. Let me clarify, please remember that we are going to follow our secular and social justice principles, there will be no compromise on that, Vijay added. He also stated firmly that if his TVK party won the polls, they would lead the Government.&nbsp;Recalling what he had said during his first political campaign, Vijay emphasized that his party would not make any compromises for anyone or for anything, and there no room for such negotiations. "Please do not believe the rumours are being spread. With the grace of the almighty, we can meet our target," Vijay said at the Iftar meet.&nbsp;In recent weeks, there has been widespread speculation of Vijay being in talks with the NDA(AIADMK-BJP combine) in Tamil Nadu. This was partially fuelled by Vijay's campaign strategy of repeatedly attacking the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu, while there was hardly any criticism against the BJP-AIADMK combine. Comments from BJP leaders and those from Vijay's party had also fuelled the discussion about a possible alliance.&nbsp;However, with Vijay having emphasized his party's political stance, it now appears that Tamil Nadu would witness a three-cornered fight: between the ruling DMK, the Opposition NDA, Vijay's TVK. &nbsp;

With Vijay having emphasised his party Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagams (TVK) political stance, it now appears that Tamil Nadu would witness a three-cornered fight.

Actor-politician Vijay has dismissed the speculation that his fledgling political outfit has been in talks with the opposition National Democratic Alliance in poll-bound Tamil Nadu. The Southern Indian state is is to vote on 23rd April. With barely a month to go for the polls, Vijay has stated that his party would not compromise on its principles of secularism and social justice. While Vijay did not explicitly mention any political party while making these remarks, it is widely seen as a measure to distance himself from the BJP-AIADMK, which comprise the NDA in Tamil Nadu. Founded in 2024, Vijay's Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam(TVK) will be making its debut in the upcoming elections. "Since the time we(TVK) forayed into politics, there's been a lot of rumours that we are part of this faction or that faction... I am not part of any team...I am in people's team... Everyone knows this...Then, they tried spreading other rumours also, that also did not work out," Vijay said at an Iftar celebration hosted by his party. After spreading rumours and having failed, then they started a false propaganda that he(Vijay) will join a certain alliance or another. Our cadre would have gotten confused. Let me clarify, please remember that we are going to follow our secular and social justice principles, there will be no compromise on that, Vijay added. He also stated firmly that if his TVK party won the polls, they would lead the Government. Recalling what he had said during his first political campaign, Vijay emphasized that his party would not make any compromises for anyone or for anything, and there no room for such negotiations. "Please do not believe the rumours are being spread. With the grace of the almighty, we can meet our target," Vijay said at the Iftar meet. In recent weeks, there has been widespread speculation of Vijay being in talks with the NDA(AIADMK-BJP combine) in Tamil Nadu. This was partially fuelled by Vijay's campaign strategy of repeatedly attacking the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu, while there was hardly any criticism against the BJP-AIADMK combine. Comments from BJP leaders and those from Vijay's party had also fuelled the discussion about a possible alliance. However, with Vijay having emphasized his party's political stance, it now appears that Tamil Nadu would witness a three-cornered fight: between the ruling DMK, the Opposition NDA, Vijay's TVK.

With Vijay having emphasised his party Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) political stance, it now appears that Tamil Nadu would witness a three-cornered fight.

No compromise on secularism; Vijay dismisses buzz of alliance talks with BJP

India's strategic NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) series of satellites, designed, built and maintained by the national Space agency ISRO, have gone defunct. The NAVIC series of satellites is meant to provide Position, Navigation &amp; Timing services for civilian and military users within India and 1,500 km beyond the country's borders. To resuscitate its regional navigation system and gain sovereign strategic capabilities, India must accelerate the production and launch of its NAVIC satellite fleet. To enable rapid replenishment, India might have to even consider launching pairs of NAVIC satellites using foreign rockets that have heavy-lift capability.<h2>The present condition of NAVIC</h2>Theoretically, a bare minimum of four satellites is required for the functioning of NAVIC. At present, barely 3 of 11 NAVIC satellites are fulfilling their core purpose, information shared by the Indian Government reveals.There are three NAVIC satellites believed to be capable of providing Positioning, Navigation &amp; Timing services: first-generation satellites IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1I and second-generation satellite NVS-01. Of these three, IRNSS-1B has lived longer than its expected life of 10 years, and could fail anytime. If all goes well, IRNSS-1I could potentially function till 2028. NVS-01 has at least a decade of life ahead of it, if it functions as designed.Considering long-term functionality, only the NVS-01 satellite can be deemed truly operational.<h2>How many satellites are needed to revive NAVIC?</h2>If the Indian Government wishes to revive and sustain NAVIC in its basic form, it must have a total of four satellites. For this, the Indian Space Agency ISRO must urgently launch three satellites: NVS-03, NVS-04 and NVS-05, which can work together with the existing NVS-01. Launched in the year 2025, the NVS-02 satellite has been stuck in its initial orbit and is unable to fulfil its core purpose.Having a fleet of four operational satellites (NVS-01, 03, 04, 05) is just the basic requirement. For higher reliability and coverage, India would have to build and launch backup satellites in the NVS-series. Eventually, a fleet of six or seven NVS-series satellites would have to be maintained to reliably operate a regional Navigation system such as NAVIC.For context, the American Global Positioning System(GPS), which supports trillion-dollar civilian and military applications worldwide, requires a fleet of 24 satellites in orbit for optimum performance and round-the-clock global coverage. Considering how crucial GPS is to the global economy, the US Government maintains at least 30 GPS satellites in orbit at any given point of time. The six additional satellites are meant to ensure that the service remains reliable and robust, even when a few satellites fail or encounter unexpected glitches.To meet its own national requirements, China operates a fleet of Beidou satellites, which serve as an alternative to America's GPS. While Beidou's global network requires a fleet of 30 satellites in orbit, around 35 satellites are believed to be in orbit.Likewise, India too must have a proportional number of satellites.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/explained-india-s-desi-gps-navic-is-defunct-strategic-capability-lost-1773468443775">Explained: India's desi-GPS NAVIC is defunct; strategic capability lost</a><h2>Can ISRO execute missions at an unprecedented pace?</h2>If ISRO is truly looking to launch three NAVIC satellites in quick succession, it must build and assemble GSLV (formerly known as GSLV Mk2) rockets accordingly. The 52-meter-tall GSLV rocket is the preferred vehicle for carrying the 2,250kg NVS-series satellites. However, it must be noted that only one satellite can be carried per rocket, due to the rocket's lifting power limitations. Going by the recent record, ISRO has done only one or two GSLV launches in a year. If ISRO were to launch multiple NVS-series missions in quick succession, it would affect the schedules of other launches that are in the pipeline. It must be remembered that ISRO does around five or seven launches from home soil in a year.Alternatively, ISRO could consider launching two NVS-series satellites on a single LVM3 rocket, which is India's most capable launch vehicle. However, due to lifting power limitations while launching to higher orbits, the LVM3 rocket cannot carry two NVS satellites, which weigh a total of 4,500kg. Even if the LVM3 can be optimised to carry two NVS-series satellites to a lower orbit, satellite fuel must be spent to push the satellites to their destination orbit. Spending precious satellite fuel for orbit raising would reduce the planned lifetime of the satellite.ISRO builds and assembles most of its satellites, including the NVS-series, at its own facilities. Therefore, ISRO would have to re-allocate its human resources to work on three NVS-series satellites, while prioritising various missions that are in different stages of implementation. ISRO must also carry out parallel design, development, and testing of its ambitious scientific and exploratory satellite-specific missions such as Chandrayaan-4(to bring back samples from the moon) and Chandrayaan-5(also called LUPEX, which is being developed with Japan's JAXA).<h2>NVS-series and the pace of launches so far</h2>ISRO launched NVS-01 in May 2023; NVS-02 was launched in January 2025, which is after a gap of 19 months. It has been more than a year since the NVS-02 failure in February 2025, and its successor, NVS-03, has not been launched.In mid-2025, the Indian Government had revealed in Parliament that an NVS-series satellite was planned to be launched by end of the year. Subsequently, with a gap of six months, NVS-04 &amp; NVS-05 are planned to be launched, it was announced. However, none of these satellites has been launched so far. This amply indicates the wide gulf between the announcement and implementation.ISRO also faced three failures in six missions executed from home soil between January 2025 and January 2026, further slowing down the overall pace of activity and affecting morale.<h2>Could ISRO consider launching on a foreign rocket?</h2>On many instances, ISRO has paid foreign rocket operators such as Europe's Ariane group and Elon Musk's SpaceX to carry its heavy satellites(weighing above 4 tons) to space. To speed up the process of replacing the defunct NAVIC satellites, ISRO could consider this option yet again. Rockets such as Europe's Ariane 6 and America's Falcon 9 can ferry at least two NVS satellites to space in a single launch.Launching on such foreign rockets could potentially reduce the burden on India's launch schedule from home soil, and ensure that the NAVIC fleet is replenished faster. Given that India needs to launch multiple NVS-series satellites urgently, it remains to be seen if the Government-run space agency might opt for the foreign route.&nbsp;

India’s NAVIC faces a crisis with only a few operational satellites. ISRO may need rapid launches or foreign rockets to restore capability.

India's strategic NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) series of satellites, designed, built and maintained by the national Space agency ISRO, have gone defunct. The NAVIC series of satellites is meant to provide Position, Navigation & Timing services for civilian and military users within India and 1,500 km beyond the country's borders. To resuscitate its regional navigation system and gain sovereign strategic capabilities, India must accelerate the production and launch of its NAVIC satellite fleet. To enable rapid replenishment, India might have to even consider launching pairs of NAVIC satellites using foreign rockets that have heavy-lift capability. The present condition of NAVIC Theoretically, a bare minimum of four satellites is required for the functioning of NAVIC. At present, barely 3 of 11 NAVIC satellites are fulfilling their core purpose, information shared by the Indian Government reveals. There are three NAVIC satellites believed to be capable of providing Positioning, Navigation & Timing services: first-generation satellites IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1I and second-generation satellite NVS-01. Of these three, IRNSS-1B has lived longer than its expected life of 10 years, and could fail anytime. If all goes well, IRNSS-1I could potentially function till 2028. NVS-01 has at least a decade of life ahead of it, if it functions as designed. Considering long-term functionality, only the NVS-01 satellite can be deemed truly operational. How many satellites are needed to revive NAVIC? If the Indian Government wishes to revive and sustain NAVIC in its basic form, it must have a total of four satellites. For this, the Indian Space Agency ISRO must urgently launch three satellites: NVS-03, NVS-04 and NVS-05, which can work together with the existing NVS-01. Launched in the year 2025, the NVS-02 satellite has been stuck in its initial orbit and is unable to fulfil its core purpose. Having a fleet of four operational satellites (NVS-01, 03, 04, 05) is just the basic requirement. For higher reliability and coverage, India would have to build and launch backup satellites in the NVS-series. Eventually, a fleet of six or seven NVS-series satellites would have to be maintained to reliably operate a regional Navigation system such as NAVIC. For context, the American Global Positioning System(GPS), which supports trillion-dollar civilian and military applications worldwide, requires a fleet of 24 satellites in orbit for optimum performance and round-the-clock global coverage. Considering how crucial GPS is to the global economy, the US Government maintains at least 30 GPS satellites in orbit at any given point of time. The six additional satellites are meant to ensure that the service remains reliable and robust, even when a few satellites fail or encounter unexpected glitches. To meet its own national requirements, China operates a fleet of Beidou satellites, which serve as an alternative to America's GPS. While Beidou's global network requires a fleet of 30 satellites in orbit, around 35 satellites are believed to be in orbit. Likewise, India too must have a proportional number of satellites. Also Read: Explained: India's desi-GPS NAVIC is defunct; strategic capability lost Can ISRO execute missions at an unprecedented pace? If ISRO is truly looking to launch three NAVIC satellites in quick succession, it must build and assemble GSLV (formerly known as GSLV Mk2) rockets accordingly. The 52-meter-tall GSLV rocket is the preferred vehicle for carrying the 2,250kg NVS-series satellites. However, it must be noted that only one satellite can be carried per rocket, due to the rocket's lifting power limitations. Going by the recent record, ISRO has done only one or two GSLV launches in a year. If ISRO were to launch multiple NVS-series missions in quick succession, it would affect the schedules of other launches that are in the pipeline. It must be remembered that ISRO does around five or seven launches from home soil in a year. Alternatively, ISRO could consider launching two NVS-series satellites on a single LVM3 rocket, which is India's most capable launch vehicle. However, due to lifting power limitations while launching to higher orbits, the LVM3 rocket cannot carry two NVS satellites, which weigh a total of 4,500kg. Even if the LVM3 can be optimised to carry two NVS-series satellites to a lower orbit, satellite fuel must be spent to push the satellites to their destination orbit. Spending precious satellite fuel for orbit raising would reduce the planned lifetime of the satellite. ISRO builds and assembles most of its satellites, including the NVS-series, at its own facilities. Therefore, ISRO would have to re-allocate its human resources to work on three NVS-series satellites, while prioritising various missions that are in different stages of implementation. ISRO must also carry out parallel design, development, and testing of its ambitious scientific and exploratory satellite-specific missions such as Chandrayaan-4(to bring back samples from the moon) and Chandrayaan-5(also called LUPEX, which is being developed with Japan's JAXA). NVS-series and the pace of launches so far ISRO launched NVS-01 in May 2023; NVS-02 was launched in January 2025, which is after a gap of 19 months. It has been more than a year since the NVS-02 failure in February 2025, and its successor, NVS-03, has not been launched. In mid-2025, the Indian Government had revealed in Parliament that an NVS-series satellite was planned to be launched by end of the year. Subsequently, with a gap of six months, NVS-04 & NVS-05 are planned to be launched, it was announced. However, none of these satellites has been launched so far. This amply indicates the wide gulf between the announcement and implementation. ISRO also faced three failures in six missions executed from home soil between January 2025 and January 2026, further slowing down the overall pace of activity and affecting morale. Could ISRO consider launching on a foreign rocket? On many instances, ISRO has paid foreign rocket operators such as Europe's Ariane group and Elon Musk's SpaceX to carry its heavy satellites(weighing above 4 tons) to space. To speed up the process of replacing the defunct NAVIC satellites, ISRO could consider this option yet again. Rockets such as Europe's Ariane 6 and America's Falcon 9 can ferry at least two NVS satellites to space in a single launch. Launching on such foreign rockets could potentially reduce the burden on India's launch schedule from home soil, and ensure that the NAVIC fleet is replenished faster. Given that India needs to launch multiple NVS-series satellites urgently, it remains to be seen if the Government-run space agency might opt for the foreign route.

India’s NAVIC faces a crisis with only a few operational satellites. ISRO may need rapid launches or foreign rockets to restore capability.

What are India's options to revive desi-GPS NAVIC?

Leading the protest of the opposition National Democratic Alliance(NDA), AIADMK Chief and Tamil Nadu's Opposition leader Edappadi Palaniswami attacked the DMK government on the easy availability of narcotic substances, crimes against women and children, law and order issues, corruption, among others. The protest held in Chennai on Tuesday, (March 17th) was led by the AIADMK, with leaders from the BJP, other NDA allies taking part. Tamil Nadu will vote on 23rd April, and the results will be known on 4th May. Lashing out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK Chief MK Stalin, Palaniswami said that Stalin was only concerned about his own family's welfare and was not concerned about the issues faced by the public. Palaniswami mentioned that ganja(marijuana) and narcotic substances were widely available across rural and urban regions of Tamil Nadu. Citing an incident of schoolchildren consuming liquor in their classroom, Palaniswami's parents were sending children to school to ensure a better future for the family, but children are falling prey to addiction and getting ruined because of it.&nbsp;Questioning the authorities over the drug and substance abuse menace, Palaniswami asked if the state had an Intelligence department or whether it had gone defunct. "The Intelligence department should have alerted the Government, but they are only working for Chief Minister Stalin's family," Palaniswami alleged, while pointing out that police personnel were also being attacked and threatened by drug peddlers. Citing crime data, Palaniswami said that there have been 1,408 murders in the state over the past years, and 246 murders have been committed in the 75-odd days in 2026 alone. He blamed the State Government for not appointing a full-time Director General of Police to handle Law and Order. The Opposition leader also brought up the political murders of BSP leader Armstrong and Congress leader Jayakumar, and alleged that the real culprits have not been found. He assured that AIADMK would return to power and the culprits would be made to face the law. Further, Palaniswami alleged that sand mining was taking place in the Karur district of Tamil Nadu, with the knowledge of officials. He also accused the DMK Government of having swindled Rs. 24,000 crores over their five-year tenure by illegally overcharging on every bottle sold at liquor outlets, over which the Government has a total monopoly.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nda-sweeps-rajya-sabha-seats-in-bihar-odisha-haryana-sees-close-contest-1773714960284">NDA sweeps Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, Odisha; Haryana sees close contest</a>

Palaniswami said that MK Stalin was only concerned about his own family's welfare and was not concerned about the issues faced by the public. He also mentioned that ganja(marijuana) and narcotic substances were widely available across rural and urban regions of Tamil Nadu.

Leading the protest of the opposition National Democratic Alliance(NDA), AIADMK Chief and Tamil Nadu's Opposition leader Edappadi Palaniswami attacked the DMK government on the easy availability of narcotic substances, crimes against women and children, law and order issues, corruption, among others. The protest held in Chennai on Tuesday, (March 17th) was led by the AIADMK, with leaders from the BJP, other NDA allies taking part. Tamil Nadu will vote on 23rd April, and the results will be known on 4th May. Lashing out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK Chief MK Stalin, Palaniswami said that Stalin was only concerned about his own family's welfare and was not concerned about the issues faced by the public. Palaniswami mentioned that ganja(marijuana) and narcotic substances were widely available across rural and urban regions of Tamil Nadu. Citing an incident of schoolchildren consuming liquor in their classroom, Palaniswami's parents were sending children to school to ensure a better future for the family, but children are falling prey to addiction and getting ruined because of it. Questioning the authorities over the drug and substance abuse menace, Palaniswami asked if the state had an Intelligence department or whether it had gone defunct. "The Intelligence department should have alerted the Government, but they are only working for Chief Minister Stalin's family," Palaniswami alleged, while pointing out that police personnel were also being attacked and threatened by drug peddlers. Citing crime data, Palaniswami said that there have been 1,408 murders in the state over the past years, and 246 murders have been committed in the 75-odd days in 2026 alone. He blamed the State Government for not appointing a full-time Director General of Police to handle Law and Order. The Opposition leader also brought up the political murders of BSP leader Armstrong and Congress leader Jayakumar, and alleged that the real culprits have not been found. He assured that AIADMK would return to power and the culprits would be made to face the law. Further, Palaniswami alleged that sand mining was taking place in the Karur district of Tamil Nadu, with the knowledge of officials. He also accused the DMK Government of having swindled Rs. 24,000 crores over their five-year tenure by illegally overcharging on every bottle sold at liquor outlets, over which the Government has a total monopoly. Also read: NDA sweeps Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, Odisha; Haryana sees close contest

Palaniswami said that MK Stalin was only concerned about his own family's welfare and was not concerned about the issues faced by the public. He also mentioned that ganja(marijuana) and narcotic substances were widely available across rural and urban regions of Tamil Nadu.

Rs 24,000cr swindled via liquor sales: EPS attacks DMK Govt at NDA protest

Tamil Nadu Opposition leader and AIADMK Chief Edappadi Palaniswami announced that his party and their allies under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would protest against the "total collapse of governance" under the ruling DMK. In Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK leads the NDA, which includes the BJP and other political parties. The protests are to be held on Tuesday (Mar 17) at the revenue district headquarters across the state. The southern Indian state goes to the polls on April 23.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tamil-nadu-elections-2026-dmk-allots-28-assembly-seats-one-rajya-sabha-berth-to-congress-1772708399667/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/tamil-nadu-elections-2026-dmk-allots-28-assembly-seats-one-rajya-sabha-berth-to-congress-1772708399667/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;In a statement, Palaniswami said that the protests were being organised to highlight the “complete collapse of governance” under the DMK regime and to voice the anger of the people over rising crimes, the unchecked spread of drugs, and the mounting cost of living.EPS alleged that since the DMK government assumed office in 2021, Tamil Nadu has increasingly become a hub for narcotics trafficking, illicit liquor operations, and organised criminal networks. The drug menace has spread alarmingly across the state, with ganja (marijuana) peddling reported in towns and villages alike, it was added.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/on-march-15th-dmk-and-allies-to-protest-across-tamil-nadu-over-lpg-shortage-1773412084417">On March 15th, DMK and allies to protest across Tamil Nadu over LPG shortage</a>&nbsp;The AIADMK chief further alleged that the state intelligence department had failed to detect organised drug activity, while the police had been ineffective in curbing drug peddlers. Palaniswami attacked Chief Minister MK Stalin, who also holds the Home portfolio, for maintaining what he called a “criminal silence” on the issue while focusing on publicity-oriented activities. EPS also alleged that elements within the ruling party had enabled the growth of drug networks. He was referring to the case involving Jaffer Sadiq, who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in connection with international drug smuggling operations, noting that the agency itself had acknowledged his links to political circles close to the chief minister's family.&nbsp;Regarding crimes against women and children, EPS said the situation in Tamil Nadu had reached deeply disturbing levels. Among these, he cited the sexual assault of a student on the campus of Anna University in Chennai, describing it as a grave incident that had occurred at one of the state's most respected educational institutions. &nbsp;

The AIADMK-led NDA announces a statewide protest on March 17 against the ruling DMK government. Citing a "collapse of governance" and deteriorating law and order, opposition leaders including EPS and Annamalai gear up for a major showdown ahead of the April 23 Assembly elections.

Tamil Nadu Opposition leader and AIADMK Chief Edappadi Palaniswami announced that his party and their allies under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would protest against the "total collapse of governance" under the ruling DMK. In Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK leads the NDA, which includes the BJP and other political parties. The protests are to be held on Tuesday (Mar 17) at the revenue district headquarters across the state. The southern Indian state goes to the polls on April 23. https://www.wionews.com/videos/tamil-nadu-elections-2026-dmk-allots-28-assembly-seats-one-rajya-sabha-berth-to-congress-1772708399667/embed In a statement, Palaniswami said that the protests were being organised to highlight the “complete collapse of governance” under the DMK regime and to voice the anger of the people over rising crimes, the unchecked spread of drugs, and the mounting cost of living. EPS alleged that since the DMK government assumed office in 2021, Tamil Nadu has increasingly become a hub for narcotics trafficking, illicit liquor operations, and organised criminal networks. The drug menace has spread alarmingly across the state, with ganja (marijuana) peddling reported in towns and villages alike, it was added. Also read: On March 15th, DMK and allies to protest across Tamil Nadu over LPG shortage The AIADMK chief further alleged that the state intelligence department had failed to detect organised drug activity, while the police had been ineffective in curbing drug peddlers. Palaniswami attacked Chief Minister MK Stalin, who also holds the Home portfolio, for maintaining what he called a “criminal silence” on the issue while focusing on publicity-oriented activities. EPS also alleged that elements within the ruling party had enabled the growth of drug networks. He was referring to the case involving Jaffer Sadiq, who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in connection with international drug smuggling operations, noting that the agency itself had acknowledged his links to political circles close to the chief minister's family. Regarding crimes against women and children, EPS said the situation in Tamil Nadu had reached deeply disturbing levels. Among these, he cited the sexual assault of a student on the campus of Anna University in Chennai, describing it as a grave incident that had occurred at one of the state's most respected educational institutions.

The AIADMK-led NDA announces a statewide protest on March 17 against the ruling DMK government. Citing a "collapse of governance" and deteriorating law and order, opposition leaders including EPS and Annamalai gear up for a major showdown ahead of the April 23 Assembly elections.

'Collapse of Governance'; Opposition NDA to protest against ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu

India's strategic NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) series of satellites, designed, built and maintained by the national Space agency ISRO, are defunct. The NAVIC series of satellites is meant to provide Position, Navigation &amp; Timing services for civilian and military users within India and 1,500 km beyond the country's borders. Theoretically, a bare minimum of four satellites is required for the functioning of NAVIC. At present, barely 3 of 11 NAVIC satellites are fulfilling their core purpose, publicly available information reveals. Even among these 3 satellites, one could fail anytime, as it has well exceeded its expected life. &nbsp;<h3>What is NAVIC?</h3>India faced GPS-denial (reduced GPS accuracy) during the 1999 war against Pakistan, which hindered the Indian military from deftly navigating the treacherous Himalayan region, and affected the ability to conduct precision strikes at will on enemy positions. Faced with this strategic vulnerability and foreign dependence, the Indian Government planned to set up its own alternative to the American GPS.&nbsp;America operates GPS, China operates Beidou, Europe operates Galileo, and Russia operates GLONASS. NAVIC was designed to be India's sovereign alternative to these services. While the aforementioned services are available globally, India's NAVIC is meant to function only in the Indian subcontinent region(within Indian borders and 1,500 km beyond them).&nbsp;Between 2013 and 2018, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the first-generation Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System(IRNSS) series satellites. IRNSS was later known as NAVIC.<h3>How IRNSS-series satellites failed en masse...</h3>According to ISRO, the IRNSS first-generation was meant to have seven satellites. To fulfil this requirement, ISRO launched nine IRNSS satellites(IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I) between 2013 and 2018. Of the nine, only eight satellites were successfully placed in orbit. IRNSS-1I could not be placed in orbit due to a rocket failure.&nbsp;Of the eight that were placed in space, five satellites suffered failures in critical components known as atomic clocks. Atomic clocks are highly precise and sophisticated timekeeping instruments, which are fundamental to the operation of Navigation satellites. When all atomic clocks in a satellite fail, it implies a total failure of that satellite's capability to offer Position, Navigation &amp; Timing.&nbsp;In 2025, responding to a Right to Information(RTI) query, ISRO said that five(1A, 1C, 1D, 1E,1G) of eight IRNSS satellites suffered failure in all three on-board atomic clocks.&nbsp;With atomic clock failures in five of eight first-generation satellites, only three(1B, 1F, 1I) satellites remained operational. Even among these three remaining satellites, IRNSS-1B has exceeded its mission life of 10years and is now in its 11th year. Two atomic clocks onboard IRNSS-1F had failed earlier, while its third and final atomic clock failed this week. Launched in 2018, IRNSS-1I is expected to be operational until 2028.&nbsp;In a statement issued on Friday,(13th March), ISRO said that its "IRNSS-1F satellite launched in March 2016 has completed its design mission life of 10 years on 10th March 2026." On 13th March 2026, the procured on-board Atomic clock stopped functioning. However, the satellite will continue to function in-orbit for various societal applications to provide one-way broadcast messaging services, it was added.&nbsp;This implies that only two satellites IRNSS-1B and IRNSS-1I, from the first-generation are in some state of operation, but they face a high risk of failure anytime.&nbsp;During launch, ISRO had estimated that each IRNSS-series satellite could operate in space for 10years. Theoretically, these satellites could live longer, if they have fuel in their tanks for performing essential manoeuvres, and their crucial systems are functional. However, the premature atomic clock failures in six of eight satellites have been a big setback. ISRO admitted that all these atomic clocks were imported.<h3>ISRO's NVS-series satellites began to replace the IRNSS-series</h3>With the costly lessons learnt from the IRNSS-series(first -generation NAVIC) failures, which is India's first attempt at developing a constellation of GPS-like satellites, ISRO decided to build and launch larger satellites under the NVS-series. The NVS-series was meant to replace the IRNSS-series. In simple terms, the NVS-series is the second-generation, advanced fleet of NAVIC satellites. ISRO said that the NVS-series would comprise a total of five satellites.<h3>One of two Second Generation NAVIC satellites failed</h3>ISRO launched NVS-01 in May 2023, and that satellite has been working as designed, as per the agency. However, its successor satellite, NVS-02, which was launched in January 2025, failed to reach its designated orbit. The satellite remains stuck in its initial orbit, as the satellite's onboard engine could not fire to lift it higher. Stuck in the initial orbit, NVS-02 cannot provide Position, Navigation, Timing services. Therefore, India has only one fully functional NVS-series satellite(NVS-02) in orbit, when it requires five of them.<h3>ISRO's timelines are disconnected from reality</h3>In 2025, the Indian Government had said in Parliament that ISRO would launch the remaining NVS satellites by the end of 2026. However, this seems like an unrealistic timeline, given ISRO's pace so far. ISRO launched NVS-01 in May 2023; NVS-02 was launched in January 2025, which shows a gap of 19 months between the two launches. It has been more than a year after the NVS-02 failure, and its successor, NVS-03, has not been launched. ISRO has also faced three failures in six missions executed between January 2025 and January 2026, further slowing down the overall pace of activity and affecting morale.<h3>How do America's GPS and China's Beidou compare?</h3>The American Global Positioning System(GPS), which supports trillion-dollar civilian and military applications worldwide, requires a fleet of 24 satellites in orbit for optimum performance and round-the-clock global coverage. Considering how crucial GPS is to the global economy, the US Government maintains at least 30 GPS satellites in orbit at any given point in time. The six additional satellites are meant to ensure that the service remains reliable and robust, even when a few satellites fail or encounter unexpected glitches.&nbsp;To meet its own national requirements, China operates a fleet of Beidou satellites, which serve as an alternative to America's GPS. While Beidou requires a fleet of 30 satellites in orbit, around 35 satellites are believed to be in orbit.Meanwhile, after decades of scientific effort and billions of taxpayer Rupees spent, India's ambitious desi-GPS project NAVIC remains in a defunct state. While NAVIC requires a bare minimum of four satellites, it is presently down to three.&nbsp;Pitiably, two of the paltry three NAVIC satellites are counting down to age-related obsolescence. The present reality of NAVIC is a stark reminder that- even a quarter of a century after the Kargil War- India does not have an operational fleet of Position, Navigation &amp; Timing satellites for its strategic purposes.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/nasa-picks-april-1-as-artemis-2-launch-date-netizens-ask-why-april-fools-1773405980723">NASA picks April 1 as Artemis 2 launch date, and everyone is wondering, 'Why April Fool's...?'</a>

At present, barely 3 of 11 NAVIC satellites are fulfilling their core purpose, publicly available information reveals. Even among these 3 satellites, one could fail anytime, as it has well exceeded its expected life.  

India's strategic NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) series of satellites, designed, built and maintained by the national Space agency ISRO, are defunct. The NAVIC series of satellites is meant to provide Position, Navigation & Timing services for civilian and military users within India and 1,500 km beyond the country's borders. Theoretically, a bare minimum of four satellites is required for the functioning of NAVIC. At present, barely 3 of 11 NAVIC satellites are fulfilling their core purpose, publicly available information reveals. Even among these 3 satellites, one could fail anytime, as it has well exceeded its expected life. What is NAVIC? India faced GPS-denial (reduced GPS accuracy) during the 1999 war against Pakistan, which hindered the Indian military from deftly navigating the treacherous Himalayan region, and affected the ability to conduct precision strikes at will on enemy positions. Faced with this strategic vulnerability and foreign dependence, the Indian Government planned to set up its own alternative to the American GPS. America operates GPS, China operates Beidou, Europe operates Galileo, and Russia operates GLONASS. NAVIC was designed to be India's sovereign alternative to these services. While the aforementioned services are available globally, India's NAVIC is meant to function only in the Indian subcontinent region(within Indian borders and 1,500 km beyond them). Between 2013 and 2018, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the first-generation Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System(IRNSS) series satellites. IRNSS was later known as NAVIC. How IRNSS-series satellites failed en masse... According to ISRO, the IRNSS first-generation was meant to have seven satellites. To fulfil this requirement, ISRO launched nine IRNSS satellites(IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I) between 2013 and 2018. Of the nine, only eight satellites were successfully placed in orbit. IRNSS-1I could not be placed in orbit due to a rocket failure. Of the eight that were placed in space, five satellites suffered failures in critical components known as atomic clocks. Atomic clocks are highly precise and sophisticated timekeeping instruments, which are fundamental to the operation of Navigation satellites. When all atomic clocks in a satellite fail, it implies a total failure of that satellite's capability to offer Position, Navigation & Timing. In 2025, responding to a Right to Information(RTI) query, ISRO said that five(1A, 1C, 1D, 1E,1G) of eight IRNSS satellites suffered failure in all three on-board atomic clocks. With atomic clock failures in five of eight first-generation satellites, only three(1B, 1F, 1I) satellites remained operational. Even among these three remaining satellites, IRNSS-1B has exceeded its mission life of 10years and is now in its 11th year. Two atomic clocks onboard IRNSS-1F had failed earlier, while its third and final atomic clock failed this week. Launched in 2018, IRNSS-1I is expected to be operational until 2028. In a statement issued on Friday,(13th March), ISRO said that its "IRNSS-1F satellite launched in March 2016 has completed its design mission life of 10 years on 10th March 2026." On 13th March 2026, the procured on-board Atomic clock stopped functioning. However, the satellite will continue to function in-orbit for various societal applications to provide one-way broadcast messaging services, it was added. This implies that only two satellites IRNSS-1B and IRNSS-1I, from the first-generation are in some state of operation, but they face a high risk of failure anytime. During launch, ISRO had estimated that each IRNSS-series satellite could operate in space for 10years. Theoretically, these satellites could live longer, if they have fuel in their tanks for performing essential manoeuvres, and their crucial systems are functional. However, the premature atomic clock failures in six of eight satellites have been a big setback. ISRO admitted that all these atomic clocks were imported. ISRO's NVS-series satellites began to replace the IRNSS-series With the costly lessons learnt from the IRNSS-series(first -generation NAVIC) failures, which is India's first attempt at developing a constellation of GPS-like satellites, ISRO decided to build and launch larger satellites under the NVS-series. The NVS-series was meant to replace the IRNSS-series. In simple terms, the NVS-series is the second-generation, advanced fleet of NAVIC satellites. ISRO said that the NVS-series would comprise a total of five satellites. One of two Second Generation NAVIC satellites failed ISRO launched NVS-01 in May 2023, and that satellite has been working as designed, as per the agency. However, its successor satellite, NVS-02, which was launched in January 2025, failed to reach its designated orbit. The satellite remains stuck in its initial orbit, as the satellite's onboard engine could not fire to lift it higher. Stuck in the initial orbit, NVS-02 cannot provide Position, Navigation, Timing services. Therefore, India has only one fully functional NVS-series satellite(NVS-02) in orbit, when it requires five of them. ISRO's timelines are disconnected from reality In 2025, the Indian Government had said in Parliament that ISRO would launch the remaining NVS satellites by the end of 2026. However, this seems like an unrealistic timeline, given ISRO's pace so far. ISRO launched NVS-01 in May 2023; NVS-02 was launched in January 2025, which shows a gap of 19 months between the two launches. It has been more than a year after the NVS-02 failure, and its successor, NVS-03, has not been launched. ISRO has also faced three failures in six missions executed between January 2025 and January 2026, further slowing down the overall pace of activity and affecting morale. How do America's GPS and China's Beidou compare? The American Global Positioning System(GPS), which supports trillion-dollar civilian and military applications worldwide, requires a fleet of 24 satellites in orbit for optimum performance and round-the-clock global coverage. Considering how crucial GPS is to the global economy, the US Government maintains at least 30 GPS satellites in orbit at any given point in time. The six additional satellites are meant to ensure that the service remains reliable and robust, even when a few satellites fail or encounter unexpected glitches. To meet its own national requirements, China operates a fleet of Beidou satellites, which serve as an alternative to America's GPS. While Beidou requires a fleet of 30 satellites in orbit, around 35 satellites are believed to be in orbit. Meanwhile, after decades of scientific effort and billions of taxpayer Rupees spent, India's ambitious desi-GPS project NAVIC remains in a defunct state. While NAVIC requires a bare minimum of four satellites, it is presently down to three. Pitiably, two of the paltry three NAVIC satellites are counting down to age-related obsolescence. The present reality of NAVIC is a stark reminder that- even a quarter of a century after the Kargil War- India does not have an operational fleet of Position, Navigation & Timing satellites for its strategic purposes. Also read: NASA picks April 1 as Artemis 2 launch date, and everyone is wondering, 'Why April Fool's...?'

At present, barely 3 of 11 NAVIC satellites are fulfilling their core purpose, publicly available information reveals. Even among these 3 satellites, one could fail anytime, as it has well exceeded its expected life. &nbsp;

Explained: India's desi-GPS NAVIC is defunct; strategic capability lost

Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, DMK, and its allies have announced a state-wide protest on Sunday, (15th March), against the Centre-ruling National Democratic Alliance, which is led by the BJP. A statement issued by the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance said, “Owing to the wrong foreign policy of the BJP-led NDA government and the failure to take precautionary measures, people are suffering amid a shortage of cooking gas cylinders and commercial gas cylinders across the country.”&nbsp;It was added that the protest against the India-ruling NDA will be held across districts, towns and villages of Tamil Nadu. This comes at a time when the ongoing Parliament session is also witnessing tensions over the LPG shortage and related disruption caused by the war that is underway in West Asia.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-us-close-to-critical-minerals-deal-announcement-likely-soon-ambassador-sergio-gor-1773409906075">‘India, US close to critical minerals deal, announcement likely soon:’ Ambassador Sergio Gor</a>&nbsp;In poll-bound Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK and BJP are part of the NDA alliance, which comprises the opposition. Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK has said that its Members of Parliament, MLAs, district presidents, heads of different wings of the party and office-bearers of the party will take part in Sunday’s protest.&nbsp;The DMK-led alliance reasoned that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had recently written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the disruption that the LPG shortage would cause in a highly industrialized state like Tamil Nadu. It was added that Stalin had requested in his letter that the Prime Minister take steps to improve the situation. “The Union NDA government has not taken any steps to address the people’s fears and offer relief. It is condemnable that the Prime Minister has refused to speak in the ongoing Parliament session about this issue,” read the statement from the DMK-led alliance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-nobody-will-hire-them-sc-turns-down-plea-on-menstrual-leaves-says-move-will-hamper-career-of-women-1773398413222">‘Nobody will hire them’: SC turns down plea on menstrual leaves, says move will hamper career of women</a>&nbsp;The DMK alleged that the BJP-led Centre was not providing funds that are meant to implement various Government schemes in Tamil Nadu, while also denying approvals for crucial developmental projects such as Metro rail in Madurai and Coimbatore cities, and the proposed airport at Hosur. “The BJP is betraying Tamil Nadu by imposing its three-language formula and aching to wipe out Tamil language, by refusing to accept the findings of the Keezhadi archaeological findings,” it was added.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had recently written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the disruption that the LPG shortage would cause in a highly industrialized state like Tamil Nadu. Stalin had requested the PM to take steps for improving the situation.

Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, DMK, and its allies have announced a state-wide protest on Sunday, (15th March), against the Centre-ruling National Democratic Alliance, which is led by the BJP. A statement issued by the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance said, “Owing to the wrong foreign policy of the BJP-led NDA government and the failure to take precautionary measures, people are suffering amid a shortage of cooking gas cylinders and commercial gas cylinders across the country.” It was added that the protest against the India-ruling NDA will be held across districts, towns and villages of Tamil Nadu. This comes at a time when the ongoing Parliament session is also witnessing tensions over the LPG shortage and related disruption caused by the war that is underway in West Asia. Also Read: ‘India, US close to critical minerals deal, announcement likely soon:’ Ambassador Sergio Gor In poll-bound Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK and BJP are part of the NDA alliance, which comprises the opposition. Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK has said that its Members of Parliament, MLAs, district presidents, heads of different wings of the party and office-bearers of the party will take part in Sunday’s protest. The DMK-led alliance reasoned that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had recently written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the disruption that the LPG shortage would cause in a highly industrialized state like Tamil Nadu. It was added that Stalin had requested in his letter that the Prime Minister take steps to improve the situation. “The Union NDA government has not taken any steps to address the people’s fears and offer relief. It is condemnable that the Prime Minister has refused to speak in the ongoing Parliament session about this issue,” read the statement from the DMK-led alliance. Also Read: ‘Nobody will hire them’: SC turns down plea on menstrual leaves, says move will hamper career of women The DMK alleged that the BJP-led Centre was not providing funds that are meant to implement various Government schemes in Tamil Nadu, while also denying approvals for crucial developmental projects such as Metro rail in Madurai and Coimbatore cities, and the proposed airport at Hosur. “The BJP is betraying Tamil Nadu by imposing its three-language formula and aching to wipe out Tamil language, by refusing to accept the findings of the Keezhadi archaeological findings,” it was added.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had recently written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the disruption that the LPG shortage would cause in a highly industrialized state like Tamil Nadu. Stalin had requested the PM to take steps for improving the situation.

On March 15th, DMK and allies to protest across Tamil Nadu over LPG shortage

Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has been sworn in as the Governor of Tamil Nadu on Thursday (12th March). Chief Justice of Madras High Court Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari administered oath of office to Arlekar at the Governor's Office(Lok Bhavan) in Chennai. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his cabinet colleagues, prominent members from&nbsp; the political fraternity were present on the occasion. Arlekar also serves as the Governor of Kerala, and has been given additional charge of Tamil Nadu as well, by the President of India.&nbsp;In a recent reshuffle announced by India's Presidential Office, new Governors were appointed to nine states and Union Territories across the country. Shortly before the reshuffle was announced, the then West Bengal Governor had suddenly resigned from his post. As per the reshuffle, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi was moved to West Bengal, an election-bound state.&nbsp;Hailing from Goa, Arlekar has been associated with the RSS and the BJP. He had served as an MLA in the Goa Assembly, as Forest Minister, and later as the Assembly Speaker. His Gubernatorial stint began in the year 2021, when he was appointed as Governor of Himachal Pradesh. Following this, he was appointed as the Governor of Bihar, and later as the Kerala Governor.&nbsp;&nbsp;Governor Vs Government battle that unfolded in Tamil Nadu&nbsp;Arlekar's predecessor RN Ravi assumed charge as Tamil Nadu Governor in September 2021, a handful of months after the DMK Government led by Chief Minister MK Stalin began their tenure.&nbsp;Over the last these years, there have been multiple turbulent events involving RN Ravi and the DMK Government in the state. This is partly owing to strong ideological differences between RN Ravi and the ruling DMK, led by Chief Minister MK Stalin.&nbsp;During his tenure in Tamil Nadu, Governor Ravi returned bills passed by the Assembly, withheld assent to legislations, and forwarded multiple bills to the President of India. Ravi had dismissed a minister from the State Cabinet without the Chief Minister’s approval, refused to swear in a minister, and had even suggested that "Tamizhagam" was a more suitable name than Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;DMK had legally challenged Ravi's actions with regard to delaying assent to bills. Governor Ravi also walked out of the Assembly four times in a row, without delivering his customary address.&nbsp;Ravi had alleged disrespect to the national anthem while walking out of the state assembly. Chief Minister MK Stalin had publicly stated that Governor Ravi's actions expose the mindset of the Centre-ruling BJP towards Tamil Nadu. &nbsp;

In a recent reshuffle announced by Indias Presidential Office, new Governors were appointed to nine states and Union Territories across the country. 

Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has been sworn in as the Governor of Tamil Nadu on Thursday (12th March). Chief Justice of Madras High Court Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari administered oath of office to Arlekar at the Governor's Office(Lok Bhavan) in Chennai. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his cabinet colleagues, prominent members from the political fraternity were present on the occasion. Arlekar also serves as the Governor of Kerala, and has been given additional charge of Tamil Nadu as well, by the President of India. In a recent reshuffle announced by India's Presidential Office, new Governors were appointed to nine states and Union Territories across the country. Shortly before the reshuffle was announced, the then West Bengal Governor had suddenly resigned from his post. As per the reshuffle, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi was moved to West Bengal, an election-bound state. Hailing from Goa, Arlekar has been associated with the RSS and the BJP. He had served as an MLA in the Goa Assembly, as Forest Minister, and later as the Assembly Speaker. His Gubernatorial stint began in the year 2021, when he was appointed as Governor of Himachal Pradesh. Following this, he was appointed as the Governor of Bihar, and later as the Kerala Governor. Governor Vs Government battle that unfolded in Tamil Nadu Arlekar's predecessor RN Ravi assumed charge as Tamil Nadu Governor in September 2021, a handful of months after the DMK Government led by Chief Minister MK Stalin began their tenure. Over the last these years, there have been multiple turbulent events involving RN Ravi and the DMK Government in the state. This is partly owing to strong ideological differences between RN Ravi and the ruling DMK, led by Chief Minister MK Stalin. During his tenure in Tamil Nadu, Governor Ravi returned bills passed by the Assembly, withheld assent to legislations, and forwarded multiple bills to the President of India. Ravi had dismissed a minister from the State Cabinet without the Chief Minister’s approval, refused to swear in a minister, and had even suggested that "Tamizhagam" was a more suitable name than Tamil Nadu. DMK had legally challenged Ravi's actions with regard to delaying assent to bills. Governor Ravi also walked out of the Assembly four times in a row, without delivering his customary address. Ravi had alleged disrespect to the national anthem while walking out of the state assembly. Chief Minister MK Stalin had publicly stated that Governor Ravi's actions expose the mindset of the Centre-ruling BJP towards Tamil Nadu.

In a recent reshuffle announced by India's Presidential Office, new Governors were appointed to nine states and Union Territories across the country.&nbsp;

RV Arlekar sworn in as Governor of poll-bound Tamil Nadu

A total of 345 men and women officer-cadets of the Indian Army successfully completed their year-long ab-initio military training at the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The OTA’s passing out parade on Saturday (7th March) was a historic one, as the passing out officer-cadets had not just aced their basic military training, but had also earned their certification in Information Technology and Cyber Security. “We are the first such pre-commissioning training institution of the Indian Army to implement this certification in IT and Cyber Security,” said Lieutenant General Michael Fernandez, Commandant, OTA.&nbsp;The OTA is a premier military institute that sculpts civilian youth (men and women) into officers of the Indian Army for the Short Service Commission. As part of India’s military diplomacy efforts, the OTA also trains personnel from India’s friendly foreign nations. Two officers each from Bhutan and Tanzania were trained in the latest batch.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/domestic-lpg-price-hiked-by-rs-60-no-hike-in-petrol-or-diesel-rates-says-govt-1772894394764">Domestic LPG price hiked by Rs 60; no hike in petrol or diesel rates, says govt</a>&nbsp;The gruelling year-long course at the OTA imparts theoretical and practical training across disciplines, including international relations, military history, weapon training, map reading, field engineering, physical training, survival training, administration, etc.&nbsp;In order to integrate technological competence with military training, the OTA partnered with the SRM Institute of Technology (SRMIST) to offer a Diploma in IT and Cyber Security to the budding Army officers. Curated specifically for the OTA officer-cadets, the one-year course delivered by SRMIST faculty focused on the fundamentals of IT, network security, secure systems design, cyber hygiene, incident response, and emerging areas such as cyber warfare, AI applications, and information assurance. The diploma course curriculum included classroom sessions, lab work, exercises, projects, and continuous assessments designed around realistic operational scenarios, officials said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/balendra-shah-becomes-giant-slayer-defeats-ex-pm-kp-sharma-oli-by-nearly-50-000-votes-1772889748034">Balendra Shah becomes giant slayer, defeats ex-PM KP Sharma Oli by nearly 50,000 votes</a>&nbsp;Addressing the passing out parade, Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army’s Western Command, said that countries are increasingly relying on force to address their security concerns amid today’s fragmented and volatile world. The salience of military power is only increasing.&nbsp;&nbsp;India is faced with its own set of security challenges. On the Northern front (with China), seemingly, there is an improvement, but the situation still remains fragile. On the Western front (with Pakistan), their military leadership, which is ruling the country, wants to continue a state of constant confrontation to maintain its own relevance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-s-hardline-clerics-get-restless-demand-quick-naming-of-new-supreme-leader-1772887605398">Iran’s hardline clerics get restless, demand quick naming of new supreme leader</a>&nbsp;“Our response in Operation Sindoor (against Pakistan) was just, calculated, and punitive. We hit terror bases along the border and destroyed military bases deep inside their heartland. We aim for peace but must remain operationally prepared to deal with adverse situations. Next time around, our response is going to be much more harsh, severe, and lethal,” assured Lt Gen Katiyar.&nbsp;“God willing, you could be the ones delivering it,” he told the newly commissioned officers.<h2>Marching in Unison: The sibling duo</h2>&nbsp;In a rare occurrence, siblings Priyanshu Dixit and Mansi Dixit are among the 345 passing out officer-cadets from the OTA. Hailing from Etah district in Uttar Pradesh, the siblings from an agrarian background were fascinated about a career in the Armed forces from a young age. The brother and younger sibling Priyanshu is a graduate with B.Sc Mathematics, while Mansi is a law graduate. Hailing from a rural background with limited resources, the siblings said that they managed to motivate and mentor each other to attain their goal of serving the country.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-home-to-india-s-silicon-valley-to-ban-social-media-for-children-under-16-cm-siddaramaiah-1772795908734">Karnataka, home to India’s Silicon Valley, to ban social media for children under 16</a>

The OTA is a premier military institute that sculpts civilian youth (men and women) into officers of the Indian Army for the Short Service Commission. As part of India’s military diplomacy efforts, the OTA also trains personnel from India’s friendly foreign nations.

A total of 345 men and women officer-cadets of the Indian Army successfully completed their year-long ab-initio military training at the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The OTA’s passing out parade on Saturday (7th March) was a historic one, as the passing out officer-cadets had not just aced their basic military training, but had also earned their certification in Information Technology and Cyber Security. “We are the first such pre-commissioning training institution of the Indian Army to implement this certification in IT and Cyber Security,” said Lieutenant General Michael Fernandez, Commandant, OTA. The OTA is a premier military institute that sculpts civilian youth (men and women) into officers of the Indian Army for the Short Service Commission. As part of India’s military diplomacy efforts, the OTA also trains personnel from India’s friendly foreign nations. Two officers each from Bhutan and Tanzania were trained in the latest batch. Also Read: Domestic LPG price hiked by Rs 60; no hike in petrol or diesel rates, says govt The gruelling year-long course at the OTA imparts theoretical and practical training across disciplines, including international relations, military history, weapon training, map reading, field engineering, physical training, survival training, administration, etc. In order to integrate technological competence with military training, the OTA partnered with the SRM Institute of Technology (SRMIST) to offer a Diploma in IT and Cyber Security to the budding Army officers. Curated specifically for the OTA officer-cadets, the one-year course delivered by SRMIST faculty focused on the fundamentals of IT, network security, secure systems design, cyber hygiene, incident response, and emerging areas such as cyber warfare, AI applications, and information assurance. The diploma course curriculum included classroom sessions, lab work, exercises, projects, and continuous assessments designed around realistic operational scenarios, officials said. Also Read: Balendra Shah becomes giant slayer, defeats ex-PM KP Sharma Oli by nearly 50,000 votes Addressing the passing out parade, Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army’s Western Command, said that countries are increasingly relying on force to address their security concerns amid today’s fragmented and volatile world. The salience of military power is only increasing. India is faced with its own set of security challenges. On the Northern front (with China), seemingly, there is an improvement, but the situation still remains fragile. On the Western front (with Pakistan), their military leadership, which is ruling the country, wants to continue a state of constant confrontation to maintain its own relevance. Also Read: Iran’s hardline clerics get restless, demand quick naming of new supreme leader “Our response in Operation Sindoor (against Pakistan) was just, calculated, and punitive. We hit terror bases along the border and destroyed military bases deep inside their heartland. We aim for peace but must remain operationally prepared to deal with adverse situations. Next time around, our response is going to be much more harsh, severe, and lethal,” assured Lt Gen Katiyar. “God willing, you could be the ones delivering it,” he told the newly commissioned officers. Marching in Unison: The sibling duo In a rare occurrence, siblings Priyanshu Dixit and Mansi Dixit are among the 345 passing out officer-cadets from the OTA. Hailing from Etah district in Uttar Pradesh, the siblings from an agrarian background were fascinated about a career in the Armed forces from a young age. The brother and younger sibling Priyanshu is a graduate with B.Sc Mathematics, while Mansi is a law graduate. Hailing from a rural background with limited resources, the siblings said that they managed to motivate and mentor each other to attain their goal of serving the country. Also Read: Karnataka, home to India’s Silicon Valley, to ban social media for children under 16

The OTA is a premier military institute that sculpts civilian youth (men and women) into officers of the Indian Army for the Short Service Commission. As part of India’s military diplomacy efforts, the OTA also trains personnel from India’s friendly foreign nations.

In a first, 345 Indian Army officer-cadets equipped with cyber security certification

German firm Flender inaugurated a facility with equipment to test gearboxes that go into 13.5Megawatt-class windmills (wind turbines) at their factory near the Southern Indian city of Chennai, in Tamil Nadu. 13.5Megawatt-class windmills are among the largest types of windmills in terms of power generation capacity.Flender was recently recognized by the Tamil Nadu government for investing and generating employment opportunities in the state. Tamil Nadu has been an early adopter of wind energy technology in India and continues to be among the leading states in wind energy generation in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is a significant upgrade from the earlier testing facility that could accommodate only gearboxes that went into 6Megawatt-class windmills, the firm said. Gearboxes are a crucial component that convert the low rotational speed of the windmill blades to a high rotational speed, which is necessary for the generator to generate electricity. A windmill gearbox test rig is a facility that simulates the mechanical loads that a gearbox would experience when installed in an actual windmill.&nbsp;The Indian Government is working towards generating 500 Gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, in which wind energy will play a major part by contributing 100 Gigawatts. India presently has an installed wind energy capacity of over 54Gigawatt, and projects for another 30Gigawatt are in progress. In recent times, India has been adding between 3 and 4 Gigawatts of wind energy generation capacity annually. In Financial year 2024-25, wind energy generated 3.35 billion units of electricity, which is about 5 per cent of India’s total generation.&nbsp;&nbsp;As per Indian Government data, the country reached its highest-ever power generation from renewable energy sources on 29th July 2025. That day, renewables met 51.5 % of the country’s total electricity demand of 203 GW: 44.50 GW of Solar power; 29.89GW of Wind power; 30.29GW of hydroelectric power, official data says. The government says, for the first time, more than half of India’s power came from green sources in a single day.&nbsp;Referring to the newly unveiled 13.5Megawatt test rig at their Tamil Nadu facility, Flender said that it is the largest in India. “Our team of experts commenced this milestone project in January 2025 at the Voerde site in Germany and successfully accomplished the schedule within 13 months of development and construction. Converters, motors, centre blocks, and motor slides were successfully manufactured in China, while transformers, colling systems, and steel and shell construction were supplied from India,” the company said, highlighting their operations across India, Europe, and China.&nbsp;In recent years, we have scaled up our annual output capacity from 800Megawatt to 16Gigawatt, and these components we make in India cater to the local market and exports markets such as the US, Europe, Australia, said Andreas Evertz, Group CEO, Flender GmbH, Germany. He added that his firm, which makes gearboxes, couplings and generators for windmills, has invested over €100mn for capacity expansion in India, in the recent past, and continues to scale up capacity.

The Indian government is working towards generating 500 Gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, in which wind energy will play a major part by contributing 100 Gigawatts. India has an installed wind energy capacity of over 54 Gigawatt, and projects for another 30 Gigawatts are in progress.

German firm Flender inaugurated a facility with equipment to test gearboxes that go into 13.5Megawatt-class windmills (wind turbines) at their factory near the Southern Indian city of Chennai, in Tamil Nadu. 13.5Megawatt-class windmills are among the largest types of windmills in terms of power generation capacity. Flender was recently recognized by the Tamil Nadu government for investing and generating employment opportunities in the state. Tamil Nadu has been an early adopter of wind energy technology in India and continues to be among the leading states in wind energy generation in the country. This is a significant upgrade from the earlier testing facility that could accommodate only gearboxes that went into 6Megawatt-class windmills, the firm said. Gearboxes are a crucial component that convert the low rotational speed of the windmill blades to a high rotational speed, which is necessary for the generator to generate electricity. A windmill gearbox test rig is a facility that simulates the mechanical loads that a gearbox would experience when installed in an actual windmill. The Indian Government is working towards generating 500 Gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, in which wind energy will play a major part by contributing 100 Gigawatts. India presently has an installed wind energy capacity of over 54Gigawatt, and projects for another 30Gigawatt are in progress. In recent times, India has been adding between 3 and 4 Gigawatts of wind energy generation capacity annually. In Financial year 2024-25, wind energy generated 3.35 billion units of electricity, which is about 5 per cent of India’s total generation. As per Indian Government data, the country reached its highest-ever power generation from renewable energy sources on 29th July 2025. That day, renewables met 51.5 % of the country’s total electricity demand of 203 GW: 44.50 GW of Solar power; 29.89GW of Wind power; 30.29GW of hydroelectric power, official data says. The government says, for the first time, more than half of India’s power came from green sources in a single day. Referring to the newly unveiled 13.5Megawatt test rig at their Tamil Nadu facility, Flender said that it is the largest in India. “Our team of experts commenced this milestone project in January 2025 at the Voerde site in Germany and successfully accomplished the schedule within 13 months of development and construction. Converters, motors, centre blocks, and motor slides were successfully manufactured in China, while transformers, colling systems, and steel and shell construction were supplied from India,” the company said, highlighting their operations across India, Europe, and China. In recent years, we have scaled up our annual output capacity from 800Megawatt to 16Gigawatt, and these components we make in India cater to the local market and exports markets such as the US, Europe, Australia, said Andreas Evertz, Group CEO, Flender GmbH, Germany. He added that his firm, which makes gearboxes, couplings and generators for windmills, has invested over €100mn for capacity expansion in India, in the recent past, and continues to scale up capacity.

The Indian government is working towards generating 500 Gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, in which wind energy will play a major part by contributing 100 Gigawatts. India has an installed wind energy capacity of over 54 Gigawatt, and projects for another 30 Gigawatts are in progress.

Amid renewables push, India’s largest facility to test windmill gearboxes unveiled

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