Thaw in India’s relations with China got reflected in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pitch for liberalised regulations on geospatial data and maps.
“Today, India is brimming with confidence. We are seeing it on the borders,” Modi said, without explicitly mentioning the thaw with China.
He said in the past, security considerations prevented the government from undertaking the measure to liberalise map making and access to geospatial data.
Addressing the annual Nasscom Technology and Leadership Forum, Modi said the decision is not just restricted to the area of technology, nor should it be seen as another administrative reform where the government exits a particular field.
Mapping was till now a government preserve, handled by the Survey of India. With the changes, any Indian entity can take part in the process and profit from it.
The government estimates that the new guidelines will boost the geospatial data sector to a value of Rs 1 lakh crore by 2030 and create jobs for 2.2 million people.
