India's GIS Revolution: Transforming Urban Landscapes and Economic Growth

India's GIS sector is experiencing a radical transformation, influencing urban development and the economy. Driven by smart city initiatives, GIS is pivotal in multiple sectors like disaster management. The government's Operation Dronagiri showcases its potential, with India's geospatial economy expected to boom, creating over a million jobs by 2025.

The geographic information system (GIS) sector in India is undergoing a groundbreaking transformation, spurred by urban development and advanced technologies. GIS is increasingly instrumental in shaping India's urban and economic landscapes, securing its position as a key player in the Asia-Pacific GIS market.

According to Precedence Research, the global GIS market is projected to grow from USD 11 billion to USD 24.61 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.71 percent. Developing economies like India and China are expected to significantly contribute to this growth, bolstered by robust urban development and infrastructure projects, especially smart city initiatives.

Agendra Kumar, Managing Director of Esri India, noted GIS's foundational role in programs like the National Water Mission, National Mission for Clean Ganga, and NDMA's disaster management projects. He highlighted GIS's ability to address crucial socio-economic challenges by integrating with technologies such as AI, machine learning, IoT, and more.

India's GIS capabilities are critical to initiatives like the National Water Mission and disaster management efforts by NDMA. With technological advancements, GIS applications have broadened into sectors like agriculture, education, utilities, and telecom.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) recently initiated Operation Dronagiri, a project under the National Geospatial Policy 2022, aiming to showcase GIS's transformative applications in agriculture, logistics, and transport. Initially rolled out in multiple states, this initiative is set to enhance citizens' quality of life and business efficiencies.

Professor Abhay Karandikar, DST Secretary, highlighted Operation Dronagiri's potential impact akin to that of UPI in financial inclusion. To facilitate this, DST introduced the Integrated Geospatial Data Sharing Interface (GDI), a platform for streamlined data sharing and analysis.

The GDI platform empowers stakeholders to leverage geospatial insights for areas such as urban planning and disaster management, driving innovation and collaboration among governmental bodies, industries, and startups. The Indian government forecasts the geospatial economy to surpass Rs63,000 crore by 2025, growing at 12.8 percent yearly and creating over one million jobs, with increasing GIS tool adoption by Indian states underscoring its socio-economic potential. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)