Geospatial Technologies and Sustainable Development in India

The paper examines the role of geospatial technologies—Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, GNSS/GPS, UAVs, and geospatial analytics—in advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India.

It highlights how national platforms such as ISRO’s Bhuvan and sector-specific geospatial initiatives are increasingly integrated into governance, planning, and policy implementation.
Through a sectoral analysis aligned with key SDGs, the study demonstrates applications in agriculture (SDG 2) via satellite-based crop forecasting (FASAL), precision farming with drones, and watershed mapping; water resource management (SDG 6) through nationwide geo-tagging of water bodies and groundwater assessment; disaster risk reduction (SDG 11 and 13) using satellite-based flood, cyclone, and landslide monitoring; urban planning (SDG 11) through GIS-enabled smart city governance and housing schemes; climate action (SDG 13) via heatwave, emissions, and land-surface monitoring; and biodiversity conservation (SDG 15) using habitat mapping, wildlife corridor analysis, and anti-poaching surveillance systems.

The paper concludes that geospatial integration has significantly improved forecasting accuracy, resource allocation, transparency, and resilience across sectors. However, challenges persist, including data accessibility, institutional silos, capacity constraints, and infrastructure limitations. It recommends promoting open geospatial data policies, strengthening technical capacity, enhancing cross-sectoral data integration, and encouraging public–private innovation to scale geospatial contributions toward sustainable development in India.