GIS

India elected co-chair of UN-GGIM-AP

India has been elected as the Co-Chair of the Regional Committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP). It was represented in the election by Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana, IAS, Surveyor General of India.

The elections took place during the 14th Plenary Meeting of UN-GGIM-AP, held from September 24–26, 2025, in Goyang si, Republic of Korea. The event, hosted by the National Geographic Information Institute, brought together delegates from member states, technical experts, and observers to deliberate on key issues in geospatial information management across the Asia-Pacific region. India will serve a three-year term aligned with the UN-GGIM Strategic Framework.

Makwana outlined India’s vision for the upcoming term, emphasizing strong leadership, secure digital transformation, and good governance. He stressed the importance of promoting data-driven decision making, transparency, and inclusivity while strengthening partnerships and building capacity to create measurable impact across the region.

UN-GGIM-AP is one of five regional committees under the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN GGIM). Representing national geospatial agencies of 56 countries in Asia and the Pacific, the committee works to maximize the economic, social, and environmental benefits of geospatial information through cooperation, capacity development, and shared solutions. ddindia.co.in

US$4.3 million upgrade of Laos’ geospatial infrastructure

The Government of Japan has granted approximately 649 million yen (US$4.3 million) to Laos to upgrade outdated topographic maps and establish an online geospatial data system. A signing ceremony for the Exchange of Notes on the Economic and Social Development Programme (Geospatial Data Platform) took place on October 22 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vientiane.

The notes were signed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mrs Phongsamouth Anlavan and Japanese Ambassador Mr Koizumi Tsutomu. The grant will support Laos in modernising maps that were created between the 1950s and the 2000s, many of which are scanned paper documents that are incompatible with modern GIS systems.

It will also enable the production of new hazard maps using Japanese satellite data, update 1:50 000-scale topographic and landslide hazard maps, and build a national online geospatial data system. It will use imagery from Japan’s Earth observation satellite Daichi to assess disaster risks, including landslides, and apply high precision satellite positioning technology from the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, known as Michibiki. asianews.network

MapmyIndia to digitally power Survey of India and Indian Oil

MapmyIndia has announced two major government partnerships: a `110 crore contract with Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and a deal to build Survey of India’s National Geo-Spatial Platform.

For IOCL, the company will develop an integrated tracking and management system for 23,000 LPG trucks across 150 locations, featuring geofencing, route optimisation, fleet monitoring, and emergency response tools to improve efficiency and safety. It will also power Survey of India’s National Geo-Platform, standardising core geospatial datasets and enabling data sharing across ministries, academia, and industry via web services and APIs.

IIT Bombay names Jamal Mohamed College geospatial hub

Jamal Mohamed College, Tiruchi, has been recognised by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay as the Open Source Geospatial Knowledge Centre for the Tiruchi district. The recognition, granted under the Free/Libre and Open Source Software for Education, Geographic Information System (FOSSEE GIS) initiative, marks a major step in expanding open source learning and geospatial innovation in academia.

The formal acknowledgement was handed over by Mohamed Kasim Khan, National Coordinator, FOSSEE GIS, National Mission on Education through ICT, IIT Bombay, to A.K. Khaja Nazeemudeen, Secretary and Correspondent, Jamal Mohamed College. The event took place during a workshop that focused on the usage of free and open source software, hardware, and geospatial tools in academia and industry. www.opensourceforu.com

Norway set to lead in 3D city modelling

Detailed map data could soon bring Norwegian cities to life in three dimensions. A new pilot project suggests that Norway is exceptionally well placed to create realistic digital city models, thanks to its high-quality 2.5D vector data. The findings are presented in the newly released report called ‘Preliminary Project – Volume Geometry in Norwegian Geodata Management’, now available on the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s website.

The study explored how municipalities currently use three dimensional representations – known as volume geometry – in urban planning and building management, as well as the challenges they face in data quality and integration. Conducted between October 2024 and June 2025, the project was funded by Geovekstforum and the Research Council of Norway.