Geodesy and India’s Push for Scientific Self-Reliance

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• At the first National Conference on Geodesy (GeodCon-26), the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences highlighted the critical role of National Geospatial Policy 2022.
  • Geodesy is a science of measuring and understanding the Earth’s shape, gravity field and spatial orientation.

About

• India’s National Geospatial Policy 2022 seeks to make the country a global leader in geospatial tech by boosting innovation, data access, and infrastructure. 
• Geospatial technology covers tools like remote sensing, GIS, LiDAR, GPS, and internet mapping (e.g., Google Earth) to collect, analyze, and visualize Earth surface data for societal and analytical needs.
• The term “geospatial” relates to data linked with geographic locations, such as terrain, infrastructure, population, water bodies or environmental features.

Strategic Significance for Geospatial technology

• Governance: Enables high-precision data for urban planning, land titling (SVAMITVA scheme), and smart city infrastructure.
• National Security: Crucial for NavIC (India’s GPS), missile guidance, border surveillance, and maintaining independent geodetic reference frames. 
• Economic Growth: Provides the “enabling layer” for logistics, precision agriculture (Agri-tech), and autonomous delivery startups. 
• Disaster Resilience: Vital for monitoring crustal deformation (earthquakes), sea-level rise, and predicting the path of cyclones. 
• Scientific Research: Supports tectonic plate monitoring, climate studies, and ocean floor mapping.

Government Initiatives Supporting Geospatial Technologies

• National Geospatial Policy (NGP) 2022: A landmark reform that democratized data access, removed restrictive licensing, and encouraged private sector participation.
• National Geospatial Mission (NGM): Launched during 2025–26 to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and datasets for governance and economic development.
• Operation Dronagiri: Pilot initiative demonstrating real-world applications of geospatial technologies, including infrastructure planning and disaster management.
• Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) Network: Developed by Survey of India, provides high-accuracy positioning services using GNSS technology.
• BISAG-N: Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics provides map-based GIS solutions and satellite applications for governance and development.

Challenges and the Way Forward

• Despite the progress, the conference identified key areas for future focus:
• Capacity Building: There is an urgent need for skilled manpower and “young scholars” to specialize in niche geodetic techniques.
• Sovereign Data: Maintaining independent gravity models and reference frames is essential so India does not rely on foreign coordinates for critical defense or infrastructure projects.
• Integration of GeoAI: Using Artificial Intelligence to process massive geodetic datasets for real-time applications.

Source: PIB