Govt liberalises mapping policy, allows free access to geospatial data

Announcing a sweeping change in India's mapping policy, the Centre on Monday liberalised regulations on geospatial data, making it freely available in the country for innovation and IT companies.

The change is made specifically for Indian companies through updating the current guidelines pertaining to developing map technologies.

According to an official statement, the government realised that the existing regime imposed significant restrictions on the mapping industry, from creation to dissemination of maps, requiring Indian companies to seek licences and follow a cumbersome system of pre-approvals and permissions. Compliance with these regulatory restrictions has subjected startups in India to red tape, hindering Indian innovation in map technologies for decades, it said.