Policy Update
Sayantani Ghosh
With the global geospatial market seeming to expand remarkably, in the Union Budget of 2025-2026, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman announced the introduction of the National Geospatial Mission with an allocation of 100 crore rupees. The mission aims to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data to assist the urban poor and other marginalised communities, as well as to uplift the urban workers socio-economically. By leveraging geospatial technology, the mission will facilitate modernizing of land records, enhancing urban planning initiatives, and improving urban infrastructure design projects across India. It also aligns itself with the PM Gati Shakti Mission framework to modernize India’s urban infrastructure and augment technological capabilities. Previously, the government’s citizen-centric National Geospatial Policy of 2022 had a long-term vision of liberalizing access to geospatial data for businesses, digital governance entities, as well as academia, through the adoption of a high-resolution topographical mapping system and digital evaluation model (DEM), to foster inclusion and economic growth. Building upon the foundations laid by the National Geospatial Policy (2022), the mission would significantly impact various sectors, especially in land management and urban development.
Source: Businesswire
The Mission’s Inception and Significance
The word geospatial simply means associating data with specific geographic locations. The process of rapid urbanization calls for actions to unlock the transformative potential that geospatial technology withhold. Traditional ways of keeping land records and planning urban development have proven to be inefficient, thereby leading to land disputes and delays in project executions. To address these challenges, the government initiated the National Geospatial Mission to operationalize the National Geospatial Policy (2022), to make land reforms and management more efficient and transparent. By integrating technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and geographic information system (GIS), the government aims to utilize technology to enhance governance and public service delivery. It also aims to bring advancements across various sectors like agriculture, transportation, urban development, and disaster management.
Core objectives of the mission:
Development of Geospatial Infrastructure – The mission aims to develop a robust mechanism of collecting, disseminating, and monitoring geospatial data.
Management of Land Records – Managing land records, tracking records of land ownerships and land usage, the mission looks to ensure accuracy and legal clarity.
Enhancement of Urban Planning – The mission plans to integrate geospatial data into urban planning processes, infrastructure development, and resource management.
The mission would benefit a wide spectrum of stakeholders like government agencies, private players including geospatial and drone companies, urban planners, businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as citizens at large.
Functioning of the Mission
The National Geospatial Mission is designed to operate with a multi-faceted approach. The mission’s data collection techniques involve leveraging satellite imagery and drones to collect high-resolution geospatial data, along with establishing a centralized data repository to store and manage datasets. It aims to develop effective policies to govern data usage, privacy, and national security, through a robust governance framework, ensuring that geospatial data management conforms to ethical and legal standards. The mission implicitly fosters collaboration between government agencies and private actors to develop smart geospatial solutions. All of these briefly describe how the mission is set to function over the span of the next few years.
Probable Impact and Substantial Benefits
India’s geospatial market has witnessed significant growth from 23 thousand crores in 2019 to 28 thousand crores in 2022, and is set to acquire a growth of one lakh crore rupees by 2030.
I. For a long time, government agencies and private players have lacked good foundational data. The mission would serve as the foundation of social and economic development, providing necessary resources to create geospatial data.
II. Issues like land disputes and inefficient land management have hindered growth in many regions. The mission would address these challenges by leveraging GIS-based land mapping and other smart technologies.
III. Accuracy of data would enable the authorities to make informed decision-making, and ensure efficiency and accountability in public administration, and public service delivery.
IV. Data-driven urban planning initiatives and infrastructure development can stimulate economic activities, promote sustainable development, and enhance the quality of life of the citizens.
V. Cities’ growing climate burden and risk of disasters require appropriate response strategies and disaster preparedness. The mission’s real-time data collection approach can address these issues and reduce economic and environmental losses.
Emerging Issues In the Sector
Despite these policies and technological advancements, certain challenges still persist in the areas of urban planning and geospatial governance. Data privacy and misuse of data by private companies that prioritize profits over serving public interests, tampering and manipulation of data, raise concerns about cyber security. There are also ethical and legal challenges like the question of ownership of datasets by public and private enterprises, as well as the lack of global regulatory framework governing data-sharing. An extensively data-driven approach creates a digital divide, excluding the marginalized communities and other backward groups who are not technologically advanced. There is a lack of skilled workforce that is proficient in geospatial technologies and data management, thereby the sector’s demands are not adequately met. Apart from these, there has been less work in adapting policies to keep pace with technological advancements and meeting ethical standards.
Lessons from Singapore – A Model for Geospatial Readiness
Singapore ranks fourth on the Countries Geospatial Readiness Index (CGRI), 2018 by integrating cutting-edge technological interventions to enhance urban infrastructure development and promote data-driven governance. Singapore’s geospatial readiness has successfully enabled the country to optimize land use and improve urban service delivery. It serves as a model case study for India, which ranks 26th out of 50 countries on the CGRI, 2018, and is on its way to modernizing geospatial infrastructure by introducing the National Geospatial Mission.
Source: Geospatialworld.net
Singapore’s geospatial development is regulated by the Singapore Geospatial Master Plan, spearheaded by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), which provides public access to accurate and real-time geospatial data through platforms like OneMap and OneMap 3D and seamlessly integrates geospatial data into the country’s Smart Nation initiative to boost urban planning and ensure efficient governance. Singapore has successfully encouraged collaborations and partnerships between geospatial startups, government agencies, academia, and private players. The country has proactively adopted blockchain technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and IoT-based monitoring mechanisms in its geospatial applications through substantive investment in technology and strong geospatial governance. The nation’s policy effectiveness has helped it achieve significant rewards. Platforms like OneMap 3D provide a nationwide 3D map that leverages real-time spatial data to assist in urban planning and disaster preparedness, such as calamities-resilient infrastructure planning, flood risk assessment, and emergency response mechanisms. To optimize land use patterns for improving housing and aiding environmental conservation, the country’s AI-driven geospatial models and advanced geospatial analytics have been quite successful.
India can draw valuable insights from Singapore’s geospatial policy frameworks to ensure the optimal realization of the National Geospatial Mission’s objectives. India can develop an open-access National Geospatial Data platform like OneMap to enhance urban planning and improve geospatial infrastructure. Investing in 3D mapping is another way to achieve this. Strengthening public-private partnerships and establishing a well-defined regulatory framework guiding geospatial policy will lead to informed decision-making, better transparency and accountability, and innovation in this sector for India.
Way Forward
To utilize the optimum potential that the National Geospatial Mission withholds, the following measures should be prioritized. Collaboration with private players and budding startups can spearhead data collection methods and expand the application of geospatial data across various sectors. Investing in capacity-building and skill development programs to enhance the expertise of officials in geospatial data management can create a robust workforce. There is a need to establish strict cyber-security frameworks to ensure responsible data usage to protect individuals’ privacy as well as national security. Integrating geospatial technologies into the Smart Cities Mission projects can maximize social, economic and environmental benefits. A robust monitoring and reviewing mechanism to oversee the implementation of the mission can address emerging challenges and ensure sustained progress in successfully realising the objectives of the mission.
References
Union Budget 2025-26 – Government of India, Ministry of Finance. Available at: https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/union-budget-2025-2026
Press Information Bureau (PIB) Releases – Government of India. Available at: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2098353
National Geospatial Policy 2022 – Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. Available at: https://dst.gov.in
Down to Earth (DTE) Reports on Geospatial Policy and Applications – Available at:
Centre for Policy Research and Governance (CPRG) Report 2025 – https://www.cprgindia.org/vision-mission/
Singapore Land Authority. (2024). Singapore Geospatial Master Plan 2024 – 2033. Retrieved from https://file.go.gov.sg/singapore-geospatial-master-plan-2024.pdf
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. (2024). 10-Year Singapore Geospatial Master Plan: Key Land and Maritime Initiatives. Retrieved from https://www.mpa.gov.sg/media-centre/details/10-year-singapore-geospatial-master-plan-outlines-key-land-and-maritime-initiatives-for-geospatial-enabled-outcomes-to-improve-lives-and-enable-solutions-to-complex-urban-challenges
Government of Singapore. (2024). Virtual Singapore: 3D city model and collaborative data platform. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Singapore
About the Contributor: Sayantani Ghosh is a Research Intern at IMPRI and a postgraduate student of Public Policy and Governance at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad with a keen interest in the areas of climate change and sustainable development.
Acknowledgement: The author extends her sincere gratitude to each and everyone who guided them through this process, especially Dr. Arjun Kumar and Aasthaba Jadeja.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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