All of this is clearly laid out,” Daniel said.

It tells who can collect the data, at what level of fidelity the data can be collected, who can they share it with or license it to, and what can it be used for. Miriam Daniel, vice president at Google Maps, said the new guidelines allowed Google to collect and use geospatial imagery in India through partnerships with local companies. Thus, it requires the collection and ownership of the data to remain with the local entities. The policy restricts foreign companies to a 1-metre accuracy and mandates the use of APIs for such companies from authorised domestic licensees. In February 2022, the Department of Science and Technology presented guidelines for geospatial data to encourage the growth of domestic companies providing mapping technologies. Street View comes to after India’s changes in geospatial guidelines. Google, Genesys International, a mapping and geospatial company, and Tech Mahindra plan to expand the service to more than 50 cities by the end of 2022. Street View will be available on Google Maps with imagery licensed from the local partners and covering over 150,000 km across ten cities: Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Nashik, Vadodara, Ahmednagar, and Amritsar.

The service for a 360-degree view of streets, tourist spots, and landmarks could not be launched in India before because of regulatory hurdles. Google Maps has launched Street View in India in collaboration with Tech Mahindra and Genesys International, marking the first time in the world the service will be handled completely by local partners.

Google earth 360 street view