India is to launch three navigation satellites this year, a senior official of the state- owned space agency has reportedly said.

"Three satellites belonging to the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) constellation will be launched by the space agency this year," the Scientific Secretary of the Indian Space Research Organization, V. Koteshwara Rao, was quoted by the media as saying Thursday.

The three satellites are IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1C and IRNSS-1D, the official has said.

IRNSS is an independent regional navigation satellite system encompassing the Indian region and 1,500 km around the Indian mainland.

Source: Xinhua News Agency