Mapping & Geospatial is a concept and a technology field that involves the collection, analysis, and visualization of location-based data, connecting coordinates to real-world features. Geospatial Data is positional data, with or without attribute data tagged, in forms like images, vector, or raster datasets. The field's origin in India is tied to the establishment of the Survey of India (SoI) in 1767 by the British East India Company to consolidate territories and systematically map the subcontinent. This led to the Great Trigonometrical Survey (1802–1852), which solved the problem of accurately mapping the vast Indian terrain.
The mechanism involves using technologies like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), and Remote Sensing to gather and process spatial data. Historically, the SoI strictly regulated the creation and use of maps. This changed with the Guidelines for acquiring and producing Geospatial Data and Geospatial Data Services including Maps, issued by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) on February 15, 2021. These guidelines liberalized the sector by removing the requirement for prior approval, security clearance, or license for Indian Entities to collect, generate, and disseminate most Geospatial Data within India.
This liberalization was further strengthened by the National Geospatial Policy (NGP) 2022, a scheme notified on December 28, 2022, which replaced the National Map Policy, 2005. The NGP 2022 aims to make India a global leader in the sector and democratize access to geospatial data, with a vision extending to 2035. It connects to institutions like the Survey of India and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which are key data producers. The policy also establishes the Geospatial Data Promotion and Development Committee (GDPDC) as the apex body for the sector. A key provision is that Geospatial Data of spatial accuracy finer than a specified threshold must be stored and processed on servers physically located within India.