The Indian government has officially announced its intention to perform a series of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) jammer trials within the Bay of Bengal.
These critical tests are scheduled to take place over a two-day period, specifically on the 11th and 12th of April 2026.
According to various official notifications and maritime reports, the trials will be concentrated in the strategically vital Bay of Bengal region. Specific mentions have been made regarding the waters situated near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an area often utilised for sensitive military evaluations.
The primary purpose of this exercise is to test and validate India’s evolving electronic warfare (EW) capabilities. The focus will be on assessing the effectiveness of ground-based systems that are designed to intentionally disrupt or “jam” signals from major satellite-based navigation constellations, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou.
A central objective of these trials is to build a robust domestic capacity to deny precision navigation to hostile assets. By mastering these disruption techniques, India aims to effectively counter the threat posed by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), incoming missiles, and adversary aircraft that rely on satellite data for targeting.
The significance of these trials cannot be overstated in the context of modern, high-intensity conflicts. This move is widely viewed as a decisive step towards strengthening India’s electronic warfare infrastructure and enhancing its battlefield deterrence, ensuring the nation can neutralise precision strikes during active combat scenarios.
The upcoming Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) jammer trials in the Bay of Bengal represent a significant intersection between national security objectives and international maritime safety. While these trials are controlled exercises, they necessitate a temporary but rigorous shift in how regional maritime traffic operates.
Operational Disruptions And Safety Risks
The primary impact is the loss of high-accuracy positioning. Modern commercial vessels are “digital ships,” where GNSS is integrated into almost every critical system. During the trial period, vessels in the vicinity of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands may experience:
Navigation Failure: Primary GPS/GLONASS/Galileo feeds will be blocked, rendering Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) less reliable.
Communication Lag: Satellite communication (SATCOM) terminals and antenna control systems often rely on GNSS for satellite acquisition; jamming can lead to a complete loss of data connectivity.
Safety System Degradation: The Automatic Identification System (AIS), which prevents collisions by broadcasting a ship’s position to others, may transmit “spoofed” or null data, effectively making ships invisible or falsely positioned on radar screens.
Shift To Traditional And Resilient Navigation
To mitigate these risks, the Indian Coast Guard and maritime authorities typically issue NAVAREA VIII warnings, compelling mariners to revert to “analogue” or secondary protocols:
Terrestrial Backups: Crews are advised to increase reliance on radar ranges, visual bearings, and echo sounders to verify their position.
Dead Reckoning: Ships may need to employ manual plotting and inertial navigation systems (INS) to maintain their course without satellite assistance.
Heightened Watchkeeping: Standard protocols will likely mandate double-watch on the bridge to manually monitor for other vessels that may no longer be visible via AIS.
Regional And Strategic Implications
Beyond immediate safety, these trials serve as a “stress test” for regional infrastructure. In a high-intensity conflict, GNSS denial would be a standard opening move. By conducting these trials, India is not only testing its weapons but also forcing the regional maritime industry to practice Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) resilience.
The ripple effect may lead to broader adoption of interference-resistant technologies, such as multi-constellation receivers and terrestrial eLoran systems, across the Bay of Bengal’s commercial shipping lanes.
IDN (With Agency Inputs)
