Science & Technology★ Must Know

GAGAN, India's satellite-based augmentation system, expands aviation navigation

By TestNeeti Editorial TeamPublished Thursday, 2 July 2026 2 min readSource: GKTodayArticle 1 of 21

GAGAN stands for GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation and is India's indigenous Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS), developed jointly by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Operational since 2015, it improves the accuracy, reliability and integrity of GPS signals using ground reference stations, master control centres, uplink stations and geostationary satellites. GAGAN operates through 15 Indian Reference Stations, two Master Control Centres, three Land Uplink Stations, four communication networks and three geostationary satellites (GSAT-8, GSAT-10 and GSAT-15). In June 2026, the DGCA conducted India's first satellite-based landing approach on a commercial jet, an IndiGo A320, at Udaipur Airport using GAGAN. As of May 2026, the AAI had published 23 LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance) approach procedures, targeting more than 40 by end-2026. Efforts are underway to integrate GAGAN with NavIC.

Key Facts & Details

9 points

1
GAGAN stands for GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation, India's indigenous Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS).
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It was developed jointly by ISRO and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and has been operational since 2015.
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GAGAN uses 15 Indian Reference Stations, two Master Control Centres, three Land Uplink Stations and three geostationary satellites (GSAT-8, GSAT-10, GSAT-15).
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In June 2026, the DGCA conducted India's first satellite-based landing approach on a commercial jet, an IndiGo A320, at Udaipur Airport using GAGAN.
5
As of May 2026, the AAI had published 23 LPV approach procedures, targeting more than 40 by end-2026.
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Efforts were underway in June 2026 to integrate GAGAN with NavIC, India's regional satellite navigation system.

Deep Dive

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India is one of the few countries with an operational SBAS, and was the first country to have an SBAS certified for the equatorial region.
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LPV stands for Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance, enabling precision-like approaches without ground-based instrument landing systems.
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GAGAN has applications beyond aviation in maritime navigation, railways, road transport, disaster management, telecommunications, defence and geospatial mapping.

Exam Focus

Examiners may ask the full form of GAGAN, its developing agencies (ISRO and AAI), the satellites used, or the meaning of LPV.

Exam Relevance & Angle

GAGAN enhances aviation safety and precision navigation across Indian airspace, enabling LPV approaches at airports without ground instrument landing systems. Its wider use in railways, maritime, disaster management and defence, and planned NavIC integration, advance India's navigation sovereignty.

Target Exams

UPSC CSESSC CGLRRB NTPCState PCSSBI PO

Background & Context

A Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) is a regional system that corrects and augments Global Positioning System (GPS) signals to improve accuracy, integrity and reliability for safety-critical uses like aviation. It relies on ground reference stations, master control centres, uplink stations and geostationary satellites. India's GAGAN joins global peers such as the US WAAS, Europe's EGNOS and Japan's MSAS. NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is India's independent regional satellite navigation system; integrating GAGAN with NavIC aims to build a more sovereign positioning architecture reducing reliance on foreign systems.