The Financial Express

 India to spend US$ 451 million on satellite network 

January 25, 2006

Bangalore: India has proposed to build its own constellation of eight navigational satellites catering to requirements of the Indian subcontinent with an estimated investment of up to US$ 451 million, ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair said.

"It will be based on geostationary platform. Signals from the satellites will be as good as what you get from any other systems," Madhavan Nair said.

"It's not a global constellation; it's a regional constellation. We hope we should be able to establish such a system once the government approval comes," he said adding "investment could be from $ 334 million to $ 449.5 million."

Bangalore-headquartered ISRO has completed studies on this Indian regional navigational system, which he said "will cater to requirements of the Indian subcontinent and that of our own users."

According to him, India proposed to have its own constellation because of the "main fear that in case of a critical application, any signals from foreign constellation can be diluted or distorted."

"If we have our own system, we can be guaranteed of such signals," Nair said. "If all clearances are available, we can do the job (Build the constellation) in six years."

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