India Lifts Restrictions on Mapping and Surveying To Help Local Firms

India said on Monday local firms will no longer need a license or other permission to collect, generate, store and share geospatial data of the country, bringing sweeping changes to its earlier stance that it admitted hindered innovation. From a report: Until now, New Delhi required Indian firms to seek licenses and additional approvals to create and publish topographical data. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today's "deregulation" step will help the country become more self-reliant and reach its $5 trillion GDP goal. "The regulations that apply to geospatial data and maps henceforth stand radically liberalised. The Department of Science and Technology is announcing sweeping changes to India's mapping policy, specifically for Indian companies. What is readily available globally does not need to be restricted in India and therefore geospatial data that used to be restricted will now be freely available in India," New Delhi said in a statement.

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