On Thursday India launched the seventh and final satellite required for a regional navigational system, called Navigation With Indian Constellation, or NAVIC. This would be similar to the United States-based Global Positioning System. When the IRNSS-1G becomes operational around one month from now, NAVIC would offer services like terrestrial and marine navigation, disaster management, vehicle tracking and fleet management, navigation aide for hikers and travellers, visual and voice navigation for drivers, reported PTI.

While the system was already operational with four satellites, the remaining three in the constellation were required to make it “more accurate and efficient”, the Indian Space Research Organisation said. The total cost of all the seven satellites was Rs 1,420 crore, officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the launch and said that NAVIC would not only help India, but also other SAARC nations. “The new technology will benefit our people, our fishermen. This is a great gift to people from scientists...This is [an] example of Make in India, Made in India and Made for Indians,” Modi added.