The Government of India has liberalized the regulatory framework
governing geospatial data, including maps in India through
guidelines released by the Department of Science and Technology
("DST") on February 15, 2021. This
radical decision is a welcome change for Indian companies and
innovators as collection, dissemination, creation and publishing of
geospatial data and maps within the Indian territory will become
exponentially simpler. The Government acknowledges that the
erstwhile regime imposed significant restrictions on the mapping
industry due to a cumbersome system of licenses, approvals and
permissions.1 The
deregulation will benefit startups, private sector companies and
research organizations in realizing the potential of geospatial
technology and employing this next generation technology in the
country. Locally available and relevant geospatial data and maps
will improve planning and management of resources. Democratizing
access to maps will also have
