India is entering into a partnership with Russia to be a part of Glonass (Global’naya Navigatsionnay Sputnikovaya Sistema or Global Navigation Satellite System). The space agencies of the two countries India and Russia will be signing a Technology Safeguard Agreement to operationalise the 2004 pact on joint use of GLONASS. After GPS, Glonass is currently the only other satellite-based navigation system and it would be available for Indian military applications. Some variations of India’s Brahmos cruise missile and many future weapons being developed on the concept of “network-centric warfare” would depend on satellite navigation for precision. The proposed Indian involvement would include using ISRO’s launch vehicles.
