With this partnership, ISRO-MapMyIndia will be developing mapping portals, apps and geospatial services
The organisations will be using ISRO’s Earth observation datasets, navigation tools, web services and MapMyIndia’s APIs
Today, the Indian government launches new guidelines for acquiring and using geospatial data
In a bid to take on rival Google Maps, Delhi-based GPS navigation company MapMyIndia recently announced that it signed a strategic partnership deal with ISRO to launch mapping portals, apps and geospatial services.
MapMyIndia CEO Rohan Verma said that both entities would come up with a made-in-India mapping portal and geospatial services. “You don’t need Google Maps/Earth any longer,” he added.
With this partnership, the duo will be jointly developing holistic geospatial solutions by using the Earth observation datasets, NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), web services and APIs (application programming interfaces) available in MapMyIndia. The two organisations will also leverage Bhuvan, a web-based utility for exploring map-based content, VEDAS (Visualization of Earth observation Data and Archival System) and MOSDAC Geoportals.
MapMyIndia was started by Rakesh Verma and Rashmi Verma in 1992, with an aim to enhance India’s map-making capabilities. It was only in the 2000s that the company developed an online maps application and it eventually transitioned to consumer navigation devices, fleet-tracking solutions for taxi and trucking companies, and mobile apps. Cut to present times, the company claims to offer a comprehensive GPS navigation and tracking solutions, engaging Indian users on multiple platforms.
India’s New Guidelines For Acquiring & Using Geospatial Data
The development follows changes in the official guidelines for mapping services in India. Earlier today, the Indian government launched new guidelines for acquiring and producing geospatial data and geospatial data services, including maps and allied services.
As per the guidelines, the government clearly looks to focus on ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat,’ where it plans to democratise the existing geospatial datasets to spur domestic innovation and geospatial technologies, thereby reducing the reliance on foreign resources for mapping technologies and services in the country.
Furthermore, the Department of Science and Technology (DTC) will be a single point of contact for acquiring geospatial data. These guidelines will be applicable to geospatial data, maps, products, solutions and services offered by government agencies, academic and research institutions, private organisations among others.
Also, in the coming months, the government looks to come up with a new negative list of sensitive attributes that would require regulation before anyone can acquire and/or use such data. It is said that DST will notify this list on its website along with stipulated regulations after consulting with departments concerned.
In 2020, ISRO announced the launch of India’s space and aviation programmes for space tech startups to boost production of new craft as well as navigation systems. With this, space tech startups are expected to tap the commercial opportunities for the Indian space sector by 2050. Last week, Indian space tech startups Skyroot Aerospace and Bellatrix Aerospace also signed a strategic partnership to launch space taxis. Accordingly, the startups will be using ISRO’s Vikram launch vehicle to deploy an orbital transfer vehicle (space taxi) by 2023.
According to Inc42 Plus, India has about 120 active space tech startups, nearly 64% of space and aerospace startups emerged in or after 2014.
