NewSpace India Ltd., the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), is installing mobile satellite service (MSS) terminals or Xponders on over 100,000 motorboats and fishing boats.
The objective is to establish better communication with vessels in the sea and monitor Indian waters more efficiently, local media reports.
The installation will cover 13 coastal states and union territories in India, spanning Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Maharashtra, Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep, and West Bengal.
The MSS satcom network will consist of dedicated ground stations and satellite terminals for field deployment to provide better security to fishermen in Indian waters and improve national security.
With the help of in-built Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transceivers and a multilingual app, the authorities will be able to engage in two-way communication with fishermen.
They will also be able to routinely access locations, issue emergency weather and international water border violation alerts, as well as provide precise navigation advisories.