(a) whether European Union and India have entered into any agreement on the Galileo Satellite Navigation Project;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether Galileo System is real alternative to American Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (NASS); and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER`S OFFICE (SHRI PRITHVIRAJ CHAVAN)
(a)&(b) Yes, Sir. A framework Agreement between India and the European Union on
participation in Galileo programme was intialled at New Delhi on
September 7, 2005 during the India-EU summit.
(c)&(d) Yes Sir. Galileo will be Europe`s own global navigation satellite system,
providing a highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning service under civilian
control. The fully deployed Galileo System consists of 30 satellites
(27 operational+3 active spares), positioned in three circular Medium Earth Orbit
(MEO) planes in 23616 km altitude above the earth and at an inclination of the
orbital planes of 56 degrees with reference to the equatorial plane.