**This Start-up Plans to Create India’s Alternative to GPS**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Sep 23, 2025, 08:01 PM*
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**Chennai-based start-up VyomIC has announced an ambitious plan to build India’s first private global satellite constellation**, aiming to provide high-precision positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services. Founded by IIT-Madras alumni Lokesh Kabdal, Vibhor Jain, and Anurag Patil, the company recently raised $1.6 million in pre-seed funding to kickstart this groundbreaking project.
### Funding Details and Future Plans
The pre-seed funding round was led by Speciale Invest, with participation from BYT Capital and DeVC. VyomIC plans to use these funds to advance the development of its low Earth orbit (LEO)-based PNT payload, support a spaceborne demonstration mission, and scale up team hiring and business development efforts.
This marks only the first step toward their ultimate goal of deploying a constellation of LEO satellites dedicated to delivering PNT services.
### An Innovative Approach to Navigation
VyomIC’s vision goes beyond creating just an Indian alternative to GPS. The start-up aims to build a next-generation global system focusing on autonomy, security, and ultra-high precision.
Their target is centimeter-level positioning accuracy and nanosecond-level timing precision—capabilities critical for sectors like defense, finance, telecommunications, and autonomous systems.
### Advantages Over Existing Systems
VyomIC’s technology offers significant improvements over current navigation systems such as GPS and GLONASS. The constellation will provide spoofing-proof and jamming-resistant signals, directly addressing vulnerabilities found in today’s satellite navigation.
Leveraging LEO satellites will enable faster signal convergence, stronger signal power, and better coverage, especially in urban environments. Moreover, the system promises indoor PNT capabilities, allowing navigation inside buildings and other previously inaccessible closed spaces.
### Looking Ahead: The Future of Navigation in India and Beyond
VyomIC’s long-term vision is to deploy a full-fledged global satellite constellation delivering secure, real-time navigation and timing services worldwide. This infrastructure will support emerging autonomous technologies and reinforce sovereign infrastructure.
Vishesh Rajaram of Speciale Invest highlighted the significance, stating, “In a world increasingly shaped by autonomy, defense tech, and time-critical infrastructure, resilient navigation becomes non-negotiable.” He added, “VyomIC’s sovereign constellation directly addresses this critical need.”
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VyomIC’s pioneering efforts mark a significant step toward India’s self-reliance in satellite navigation, promising transformative impacts across multiple industries and national security domains.
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