New Delhi, Dec 19: India is hoping that its own regional navigation satellite, on the lines of China’s, can become operational by 2015, the govt aforesaid Wed.

Replying to a matter on India’s space programme vis-a-vis China’s, Minister of State in the PMO V. Narayanaswamy told the Lok Sabha that the primary satellite for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) was launched in July this year.

An Indian space analysis Organisation (ISRO) initiative, the IRNSS is intended to produce better accuracy from 10 miles over India and also the region extending about 1,500 km around India.

It is expected to produce correct real time position, navigation and time (PNT) services to users on a spread of platforms with 24X7 service availableness underneath all weather.

According to the minister, whereas India has strength in house applications, China’s strength lies within the launch vehicle domain.

“India has strength in house applications and India’s domestic constellation of remote sensing and communication satellites are thought of to be the biggest in Asia-Pacific region,” Narayanaswamy aforesaid.

“In the sector of house science and planetary exploration, each India and China have sent orbiters to the moon,” he added.

Referring to India’s Mars satellite Mangalyaan, launched Nov five, the minister aforesaid it had completed the planet orbiting section and with success earth’s sphere of influence Dec 4.