The GSLV‑F18 rocket carried the second‑generation NVS‑03 into a precise injection orbit at 11:51 pm from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, following a 24‑hour countdown that began the night before.
NVS‑03 includes an indigenous atomic clock that improves time‑keeping accuracy, enabling NavIC to deliver real‑time positioning for railways, maritime shipping, and autonomous vehicles across the country.
ISRO chief V. Narayanan said the satellite will complement the existing NVS‑01, NVS‑02 and NVS‑03 to provide a robust infrastructure for the government's "one nation, one time" initiative, while the recently notified Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026, will standardise timekeeping nationwide.
With the constellation now at its minimum operational configuration of four satellites, the Ministry plans to deploy additional NavIC nodes in the coming months, aiming to make India fully self‑reliant in critical navigation technology.