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The Department of Posts is rolling out DHRUVA, a digital address system using virtual handles and precise geo-codes to simplify sharing addresses, streamline services, and enhance interoperability across logistics, banking, e-governance, and emergency response.
Consent-based access ensures privacy and control.
New Delhi: India is preparing to digitise and standardise its addressing system with the launch of DHRUVA, short for Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address. The system is designed to make sharing addresses as simple as exchanging an email ID or UPI handle. Instead of manually entering full addresses, citizens will be able to use virtual labels such as name@entity that act as proxies for their complete physical locations. This move aims to make the national addressing framework more interoperable, secure, and user-friendly.
At its core, DHRUVA allows users to share their addresses via virtual handles issued by Address Service Providers. Access to these addresses is consent-based, meaning a user authorises a platform to access their address for a limited period, after which new permission must be granted. Address Information Agents, or AIAs, manage this consent architecture, allowing users to revoke or renew access at any time. The system is voluntary for private firms, but widespread adoption is expected due to its convenience and seamless integration with multiple platforms.
The backbone of DHRUVA is DIGIPIN, a 10-character alphanumeric code launched earlier this year by the Department of Posts. Each DIGIPIN represents a precise latitude-longitude coordinate covering an area of roughly 14 square metres. This ensures higher accuracy than traditional addresses, particularly in rural or unplanned regions. DIGIPIN has been open-sourced, allowing developers and service providers to integrate it easily. With more than 228 billion unique codes possible, the system provides a scalable base for nationwide coverage.
DHRUVA promises to enhance multiple aspects of public and private sector operations. For logistics and e-commerce, it reduces errors caused by incorrect or incomplete addresses. In governance and emergency services, it ensures faster response times with precise location data. Financial inclusion can also benefit as accurate addresses help simplify KYC and other verification processes. By providing citizens with greater control over their address data, the system brings transparency and trust to how information is shared.
The Department of Posts highlights that address data is a foundational layer of governance, comparable to digital identity and payment systems. Currently, individuals often enter their address repeatedly across various platforms, leading to inefficiencies and duplication. DHRUVA aims to solve these problems by offering a unified, consent-based digital address system that enhances interoperability between government and private platforms while improving service delivery.
The draft framework of DHRUVA has been opened for public feedback. The Department of Posts is seeking input from state governments, ministries, logistics platforms, and private companies before finalising the policy. If implemented as proposed, DHRUVA could become one of India’s most ambitious digital infrastructure projects, creating a standardised, secure, and easy-to-use address layer that supports governance, commerce, and daily life.
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By making addresses as simple to share as a UPI handle, DHRUVA is poised to transform the way Indians interact with services, businesses, and the government. With precise geo-codes, consent-based sharing, and wide applicability across sectors, this initiative could streamline operations, reduce errors, and empower citizens with greater control over their personal information.
