ISRO joins hands with MapmyIndia to counter Google

- The purpose of communicating the information received by satellite to the general public

Bengaluru, Ta. Saturday, February 13, 2021

ISRO has teamed up with MapMyIndia to launch the country's first fully domestic mapping portal and geospatial services. It will combine MapMyIndia's digital maps and technology with images, Earth studies and data generated by ISRO's satellites.

The purpose is to convey information to the general public

MapMyIndia is an Indian company that produces data from digital maps. Its CEO and ED Rohan Verma described the partnership as a step towards a self-reliant India that would end the reliance of Indian users on Google Maps and Earth.

He signed an agreement with CEI Info Systems Pvt Ltd, a company owned by MapMyIndia, on Thursday, according to a space department report. Under it, a comprehensive study of the Earth by ISRO to provide geospatial services, the possibility of joint use of Indian navigation system 'Navigator', weather and ocean connected services, company's web services, portals etc. will be explored.

Exemption of foreign companies disputing maps

Due to this partnership, maps of India will be presented within the boundaries determined by the government. Notably, foreign companies often create controversy by misrepresenting maps of our country. This partnership will also enable field information and data to be more solidly accessible.

Our earnings to foreign companies will stop

Most companies, including Google that provide maps, often collect users' data without telling them and then sell it for advertising. ISRO and the company involved in the agreement will not work on this model. Under these circumstances the earnings we are making to foreign companies will also stop.