GOI announces essential changes to mapping policy

NEW DELHI: The Government of India on Monday, February 15, announced sweeping changes to the country’s mapping policy, which it said will benefit Indian companies. The changes have been made in the policy keeping in mind the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.

Announcing this on Twitter on Monday, February 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the policy change is a massive step in the government’s vision to make India self-sufficient. He tweeted that our government has come to this decision that will provide an enormous motivation to Digital India. Moderating policies, governing the acquisition and production of geospatial data is a massive step in our vision for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. In a subsequent tweet, Modi said that the reforms will unlock tremendous opportunities for India’s start-ups, private sector and research institutions to drive innovations and build scalable solutions. This will result in generation of employment and boost economic growth.

Ministry of Science and Technology in a release said that the existing regime imposed significant restrictions on the mapping industry. Indian corporations and innovators are no longer subject to restrictions nor do they require prior approvals before they collect, generate, prepare, disseminate, store, publish, update digital Geospatial Data and Maps within the territory of India. It added that the government is looking forward to see India emerge as a mapping power.