Summary of Provisional Policy on Aerial and Geospatial Surveys, Publication of

Various Series of Maps & Distribution

1. Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been receiving references / suggestions from various
quarters to review the existing instructions / policy guidelines on Geospatial & Geophysical
survey from time to time. The various stakeholders have brought out that the existing procedures
are old and requires to be in sync with the present technology. The issue of grant of permission,
security vetting of geospatial data including point of interest, aerial, drone & ground survey is
time consuming. Thus a need is felt in MoD to create an enabling environment for indigenous
survey companies &promoting domestic enterprises while ensuring security requirement of the
country.

2. In the light of advancement of technology for carrying out aerial and ground based
surveys, and the use of satellite for mapping the earth, agencies globally are enabling the
availability of high resolution maps of any part of country in open domain. The renewal of
guidelines is necessitated so as to bring them in tune with liberal economic/commercial
regime and aerial logistic operations for conduct of surveys by private and non-defence
government agencies.

3. With this aim, the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri, approved the constitution of a committee, to
be headed by Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Member (S&T), NITI. Aayog. Accordingly, vide OM No.
2(04)/2011/D(GS-III) dated 24 September 2020, the MoD formed a convening order to review
the existing policies on geospatial and geophysical survey. The Committee in its deliberations
focused on the following aspects:

a. It was discussed that although the Survey and Logistic activities are essential for
economic growth of the country, the security requirements of the Armed forces,
Intelligence Bureau and other strategic forces should also not be compromised in the
process.

b. The Ease of Doing Business for the Survey and Logistics requirements, in according
clearance, should be achieved by using State of the Art technologies viz;, Digitalisation.
c. The Inter-Departmental exchange of Survey data should be a normal process and should
not require any special permission from any agency.

d. All the departments viz., the Ministry of Defence(MoD) including the Army, the Navy,
the Airforce, the Intelligence Bureau, the National Training and Research Organisation,
the Ministry of Home Affairs, etc., will submit a list of Vital Areas(VAs)/Vital
Points(VPs) categorizing them in two buckets

 VA’s/VP’s that cannot be listed / shown on any map except in a Top Secret Map
stored in the top secret layer with Robust Access control for security.

 VA’s/VP’s that can be shown on the map but marked yellow / red indicating – No
Flying Zone, No Survey Zone etc., from the point of view of safety or strategic
information

e. Survey of India (SOI) / MoD will prepare a Digital portal for any user to access the
agency for seeking permission. The software will enable the verification of the request /
demand of the user making use of the information on the digital maps and running it
through the Red Layer ie Negative list and accord permission

f. Digital maps so prepared will be available in open domain for users to plan the activities
ensuring minimum cases of denial for permission

g. MoD or an identified agency will take up the task of digitalization of the maps. The
digitalization can be subcontracted to a non-govt agency after ensuring the following:

a. Company should be registered in India

b. It should sign a Non-Disclosure agreement

c. It should store the data only in Indian Services

d. It should declare if any foreign platform is being used for preparing the digital
maps

e. Company should agree to supply the raw data for verification by GoI
 h. The VA’s/VP’s which are cleared by MoD, IB, MHA, MOCA for display on the map as
‘No Flying, No Survey Zone’ will be shared by the sponsoring agency with the
digitalization teams

i. The Agency MoD/SOI/Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) or any new agency identified
by Government of India for handling this process of according permissions will regularly
update the digital maps in respect of addition or subtraction of VA’s / VP’s based on
inputs from the security agencies, the process of referring the application digitally will be
as follows:

a. Application will be forwarded to MoD, MHA, MOCA and SOI for clearance

b. Each agency will maintain a single window to clear the case in not more than
three days

c. In case the clearance is not received in the stipulated three days, the clearance will
be deemed as given

j. If any data is required to be exported/transferred to a foreign agency, then special

permission of MoD/MHA/MoCA is recommended to be taken. The nodal department
will vet the data and then accord permission. This process should be completed in seven
working days.

5. It is a universal fact that geospatial information is vital for facilitating the seamless
interaction and unhindered interlinking between geography and demography for optimum
planning and efficient delivery of socio-economic benefits. It will not only underpins all the
decision making but also improves efficiency and productivity leading to sustainable
development in planning, monitoring, analysis and decision making thus improving overall
efficiencies across governance, development activities, business enterprises & society.