Centre pushes for home-grown navigation system, smartphone makers jolted

According to government, NavIC provides more accurate domestic navigation and its use is likely to benefit the economy as well

India is pushing smartphone manufacturers to make the new devices compatible with its homegrown navigation system by next year. 

According to a Reuters report, the move has left tech giants like Samsung, Xiaomi and Apple worrying, who fear elevated costs and disruptions, as this would require hardware changes. A push for the new homegrown navigation system aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's drive for self-reliance. 

India has, over the years, expanded the use of its regional navigation system, Navigation with the Indian Constellation (NavIC). The Indian government aims to reduce its dependence on foreign systems, including the widely used U.S.