India's geospatial policy to boost governance, sustainable development: Top govt official

New Delhi, April 28 Geospatial information has become a critical public good for planning, disaster response and sustainable development, and India is advancing an interoperable national geospatial ecosystem, a senior government official said on Tuesday.

"India’s National Geospatial Policy marks an important milestone in building an open, interoperable, and innovation-driven geospatial ecosystem aligned with international best practices," said Narendra Bhooshan, Secretary, Department of Land Resources at a technical expert forum.

He highlighted that modern governance increasingly depends on accurate, interoperable, and reliable geospatial data systems to enable proactive and efficient decision-making across sectors such as agriculture, engineering, climate resilience, transport, and land administration, an official statement said.

Geospatial data helps in decision-making, resilient infrastructure, land governance, environmental management and urban planning, he added.

Narendra Bhooshan said that geospatial information is no longer merely a technical support tool for decision-making but is increasingly becoming central to governance.

The event brought together policymakers, technical experts and international delegates from the Asia‑Pacific region to discuss the growing role of geospatial systems in governance, sustainable development, and public service delivery.

Key initiatives such as the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), SVAMITVA, and NAKSHA were cited as examples of using drones, aerial surveys, digital mapping, and GIS platforms to improve land records, property ownership documentation, and planning in both rural and urban areas.

India strongly values the role of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) in shaping global norms, frameworks, and cooperation, Bhooshan said.

The forum highlighted the importance of global frameworks developed under the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM), which provide countries with practical roadmaps to strengthen national geospatial ecosystems, improve institutional coordination and integrate data systems.

Delegates from the Asia-Pacific region emphasised the need for stronger cooperation in areas such as climate adaptation, disaster resilience, coastal vulnerability, urban expansion, agricultural sustainability, and modernisation of land administration systems.

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