New Delhi | September 30, 2025, 18:05 IST — Filed via company press release
Airtel Business, the enterprise arm of Bharti Airtel, has announced a strategic partnership with US-based Swift Navigation to roll out centimeter-level Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) services in India. The service will enable unprecedented accuracy in location-based applications across mobility, logistics, and industrial automation.
cm-Level Accuracy for India
Traditional GNSS solutions typically offer accuracy within a few meters. The new cm-level GNSS solution aims to deliver precision down to 3–5 centimeters, powered by Swift’s Starling positioning engine and Airtel’s pan-India connectivity and infrastructure.
The collaboration is expected to transform industries that rely on precision geospatial data, including:
- Autonomous vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).
- Agriculture, enabling precision farming and yield optimization.
- Logistics & fleet management, with tighter route optimization.
- Telecom and utilities, for infrastructure deployment and monitoring.
- Surveying & construction, where accurate geospatial mapping is essential.
Industry First for India
Airtel Business said this will be the first commercial-grade, nationwide cm-level GNSS service in India. The offering will leverage Airtel’s cloud, 5G, and edge computing platforms to provide reliable, real-time corrections to satellite signals.
Swift Navigation, headquartered in San Francisco, has been rolling out its GNSS solutions in North America and Europe, with India now positioned as a major growth market.
“Airtel Business brings the scale and reach to take our Starling service to millions of users across India,” said Timothy Harris, CEO of Swift Navigation. “Together we aim to unlock precision navigation for India’s fast-growing mobility and IoT ecosystem.”
Strategic Implications
For Airtel, the move underscores its ambition to go beyond telecom and become a technology solutions provider for enterprises. The GNSS service will also complement its existing portfolio in IoT, edge computing, cloud, and cybersecurity.
For India, the launch supports the government’s Digital India and Make in India initiatives, as accurate GNSS positioning is seen as critical for smart cities, drone operations, and advanced mobility solutions.
Market Reaction
Industry analysts noted that India’s GNSS ecosystem has so far depended heavily on GPS, GLONASS, and ISRO’s NavIC system. The new service, offering cm-level accuracy, could spur innovation in autonomous driving, drone delivery, and agritech startups.
Equity markets reacted modestly, with Airtel shares up about 0.6% intraday, reflecting optimism around new enterprise revenue streams.
Outlook
The Airtel-Swift GNSS service is expected to go live in phases, starting with pilot deployments in major metros before expanding nationwide in 2026.
Analysts believe that if adoption scales, it could reshape India’s geospatial and mobility landscape, making the country a testbed for precision-driven applications.
