Digital Twin [UPSC Notes]

Several geospatial products and solutions firms across India have announced plans to create a Digital Twin of India’s top cities. Digital twin technology is a new development in science and technology that is fast gaining relevance. In this context, this article brings you the details of the digital twin technology from the IAS exam perspective.

What is a Digital Twin?

It is a virtual three-dimensional (3D) representation of an object or system that delivers real-time insights into the performance, operation, or profitability of a physical object—even a city.

• The digital twin city can help policymakers improve governance and the urban ecosystem through efficient planning of infrastructure.

How is it built?

• A Digital Twin city uses the most comprehensive, and high-definition, geospatial coverage in 2D, 3D, 4D, and 360 degrees, captured through advanced sensors.
• For that, moving objects on-ground and in the sky, including from drones, are processed, productized and published in near-real time using cutting-edge AI/ML, computer vision, data analytics and geospatial technologies.

Digital Twin of Indian Cities

• Adding engineering and application data layers to the 3D digital twins will improve local governance in terms of public services such as urban governance, disaster management, emergency response, and tourism.
• 3D digital twins can help in building climate-smart cities or green infrastructure, better healthcare, green environment, smart education, smart agriculture, etc.
• A Mumbai-based geospatial products and solutions firm called Genesys International announced its plans to create a Digital Twin of India’s top 100 cities.
• It hopes to complete 20 digital twins by the end of 2024. 
• Another such firm, MapmyIndia, too is working on a 3D digital twin in India.
• Amaravati, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, too, is already being built as a digital twin.
• By this, India will join the elite cities and countries such as Singapore, Yingtan in China, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Auckland, Helsinki, Boston, Colorado and Orlando.
• India’s new geospatial policy (National Geospatial Policy 2022) allows firms to collect and create content for such projects.

Way forward: The use of advanced technologies for better city planning and governance is the need of the hour given that we are faced with the dual problem of population density and climate change. However, the sensitive data on critical city infrastructure must remain within the secured vault to prevent misuse.

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