Iran Shifts from U.S. GPS to China’s BeiDou for Strategic Independence Lahore – In a significant geopolitical move, Iran has completely phased out its reliance on the U.S.-based Global Positioning System (GPS) and officially adopted China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system for both military and civilian applications, according to Iranian media reports. This shift makes Iran the second country after Pakistan in the region to fully integrate China’s BeiDou system into its national infrastructure, marking a major step toward technological independence and secure military operations. A Strategic Move Against Surveillance and Espionage Iran’s decision comes in the wake of recent drone attacks on Iranian military installations, allegedly coordinated by local Israeli agents using GPS data. These incidents exposed vulnerabilities in Iran’s military planning and communications, as GPS is owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Defense. Iranian military sources have confirmed that using GPS allowed sensitive military movements to be tracked and potentially intercepted, with intelligence often leaking to hostile states like Israel. To address these concerns, Iran has turned to BeiDou, a system that is not only independent of U.S. influence but also offers enhanced encryption and anti-jamming capabilities, which are critical for secure command-and-control operations. What is BeiDou and Why Is It Important? BeiDou is China’s answer to GPS and rivals other systems like Russia’s GLONASS and Europe’s Galileo. It currently boasts a constellation of over 35 satellites and provides global coverage, making it a fully operational and independent alternative to GPS. The system has gained popularity in many non-Western nations due to its political neutrality, technical robustness, and dual-use flexibility for commercial and defense purposes. Pakistan and Iran Strengthen Strategic Tech Ties with China With both Pakistan and now Iran aligned with the BeiDou navigation system, China is expanding its strategic tech influence in the region. This not only solidifies military alliances but also lays the foundation for a China-led navigation and intelligence-sharing network that excludes Western systems. Iran’s adoption of BeiDou is also seen as part of its broader effort to reduce dependence on Western technologies, particularly in the defense and intelligence sectors.