NEW DELHI — India on July 1 lofted its first navigation and timing satellite meant to provide accurate position information services to both civilians and the military. IRNSS-1A, the first satellite of the seven-spacecraft Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), was launched on a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C22) from the spaceport at Sriharikota off the coast of the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, says an official at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

AirAsia Group is planning to add 10 Airbus aircraft each year to its recently approved Indian joint venture, which is expected to start operations by the end of the year. The joint venture, which includes Tata Group and Telestra Tradeplace as partners, already has permission from India’s Foreign Investment Promotion Board to invest 800 million rupees ($13.4 million) in the new airline, and is currently awaiting regulatory approval from the Ministry of Civil Aviation to begin operations.

NEW DELHI — India has plans to loft two new satellites over the next two years to boost its communications capability and augment current services. A proposal for the development and launch of GSAT-15 and-16 was approved at a June 28 meeting of the federal cabinet, says India’s finance minister, P. Chidambaram. GSAT-15 is expected to be built within the next 18 months, and GSAT-16 in the next 24 months.