Remote Sensing Data Policy (RSDP), 2011

The Government of India adopts the Remote Sensing Data Policy (RSDP) 2011 containing modalities for managing and/ or permitting the acquisition / dissemination of remote sensing data in support of developmental activities.

Department of Space (DOS) of the Government of India shall be the nodal agency for all actions under this policy.

1. For operating a remote sensing satellite from India.

• As a national commitment and as a “public good”, Government assures a continuous and improved observing/ imaging capability from its own Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) programme.
• The Government is the sole and exclusive owner of all data collected/ received from IRS. All users will be provided with only a license to use the said data.

2. For acquisition/ distribution of remote sensing data within India.

• Government reserves the right to select and permit agencies to acquire/ distribute satellite remote sensing data in India.
• To cater to the developmental needs of the country, the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)/ DOS is vested with the authority to acquire and disseminate all satellite remote sensing data in India, both from Indian and foreign satellites.

3. For acquisition and distribution of IRS data for use in countries other than India.

• The Antrix Corporation Ltd. (of Dept. Of Space) is vested with the authority for receiving the applications for grant of license for acquisition/ distribution of IRS data outside of India; to consider and decide on the granting of license within the policy considerations of the Government.

4. The Government prescribes the following guidelines to be adopted for dissemination of satellite remote sensing data in India:

• All data of resolutions up to 1 m shall be distributed on a non-discriminatory basis and on “as requested basis”
• To national security interests, all data of better than 1 m resolution shall be screened and cleared by the appropriate agency prior to distribution; and the following procedure shall be followed:
  1. Government agencies do not require any further clearance.
  2. Private sector agencies working for development purpose can obtain the data without any further clearance.
  3. Specific requests for data of sensitive areas, by any user, can be serviced only after obtaining clearance from the HRC.
  4. Specific sale/ non-disclosure agreements to be concluded between NRSC and other users for data of better than 1 m resolution.