VS
On 13th June 2025, Israel conducted what they referred to as targeted military action against Iran. In the process, they were able to assassinate top Iranian scientists working on their nuclear plants as well as some top military generals.
It was a very impromptu and successful strike that caught Tehran off guard.
After their assessment, Iran blamed American Tech companies such as Meta and Google for sharing live locations with the IDF.
In Response, Iran announced that it was ditching United States Navigation technology, GPS, to fully adopt China’s BeiDou Navigation. After digging through this, I concluded that this wasn’t just a security move, but a power move that China has been pursuing for the last 30 years, and finally, it’s paying off for them.
Just like in many other areas of Technology, China has been working to become a global power in Navigation Technology. Since GPS became fully operational in the mid-1990s, it was clear to China that if they had to keep pace in terms of military superiority, they had to develop their own Navigation system for defense, as they couldn’t rely on their nemesis. Finally, in 2023, Beidou launched its last satellite required to complete its own Navigation system.3 Years later, in 2025, it has become the most dominant Navigation system in its home market, ending its reliance on the US’s Global Positioning System (GPS). It currently processes over 1 million location check-ups daily in China alone. In addition, BDS has now been adopted in over 140 countries. And how does it compare to GPS?
BeiDou 3 has between 45 and 50 satellites as compared to GPS’s 31.
Although on paper the accuracy levels of both GPS and BDS are similar (down to a few metres), BDS is said to provide more accurate distance and Navigation, especially in some regions like Asia-Pacific. This goes without saying, it’s because their satellites are newer and greater in number as compared to those used by GPS.
Another aspect where BeiDou seems to have an upper hand is the fact that it’s providing a unique short messaging signature with encryption for security reasons. This is great because it enables easier communication in hostile environments where traditional network systems cannot transmit, including war zones, remote areas, or areas stricken by Natural disasters.
With the United States giving up its global soft power by pulling out from its engagements with the world to focus on domestic issues, there is a real opportunity for China to occupy this space. It remains to be seen, but I would predict that by 2030, BeiDou might be the most dominant Navigation Technology.
