Russia and India are considering setting up joint production of modules for Russia’s GLONASS satellite navigation system, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti quoted Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin of Russia as saying.
“We have agreed to discuss cooperation in outer space over the next few weeks, including outstanding issues regarding manned space exploration, the development of India-based projects focused on GLONASS, and the possible joint manufacture of modules to receive the GLONASS signal,” Rogozin said.
The government official emphasized “strong demand” in Russia for the equipping of domestic motor vehicles with such modules.
“We can produce these as a joint effort, especially if the Indian partners themselves vote for the introduction of the ERA-GLONASS project to use GLONASS modules on their motor vehicles for a swift response to emergency situations,” the Russian vice premier added.
Russian satellite signal from Brazil to China
The GLONASS technology has been gradually making inroads into foreign markets. As early as 2012, some US agencies announced their decision to use the Russian system.
In 2013, Mobile Satellite Systems (MSS) GLONASS, a Moscow-headquartered developer and manufacturer of monitoring equipment based on Russia’s GLONASS, was reported to be entering into the booming automotive market in the United Arab Emirates.
In Brazil, a GLONASS ground-based control station was launched that same year, following local alliances forged by NIS, the Russian national navigation service provider, to promote GLONASS navigation technology in the Latin American market.
Another illustration of GLONASS’s international traction came in the summer of 2014, when negotiations on the harmonization of equipment standards for GLONASS and the Chinese Beidou system began. A number of pilot projects are in consideration relating to the provision of navigation and information services to users of vehicles involved in the cross-border business.
The Russian government itself is pushing GLONASS in negotiations with international chipset makers, as reported last year by East-West Digital News. These have already set up the corresponding production lines, and the proportion of mobile devices that support the Russian satellite navigation system could become predominant in the future.
