The government recently launched DIGIPIN, a digital location identifier that assigns a unique 10-character alphanumeric code to individual properties. The new system promised pinpoint accuracy, right down to a 4x4 metre area, marking a major shift from traditional postal PIN codes that represent larger, less specific zones.
Developed in partnership with IIT Hyderabad and NRSC-ISRO, DIGIPIN leverages geospatial technology to encode exact latitude and longitude coordinates into a standardised format. It’s designed to streamline services such as e-commerce deliveries, logistics, and emergency response, especially in regions where conventional addresses are unclear or unavailable.
“DIGIPIN is a nationwide geocoded addressing system,” India Post stated, explaining that it can precisely identify homes, offices, and other properties. Unlike PIN codes, which group entire neighbourhoods or towns under one number, DIGIPIN assigns a distinct digital tag to every location.
To generate a DIGIPIN, users can visit the official website at https://dac.indiapost.gov.in/mydigipin/home, pinpoint their address on a map, and retrieve the code. No personal data is collected in the process, and the system is available for both online and offline use.
The launch of DIGIPIN is also part of the efforts to take formal digital addresses to the underserved and rural areas. A remote village, an isolated area in the forest, or even a floating building on the water can now be accurately mapped and addressed, something traditional street addresses don’t do well.
DIGIPIN vs DigiLocker: What’s the Difference?
Though both DIGIPIN and DigiLocker are digital means under ambitious Digital India program, they have different purposes.
DigiLocker is an online service provided by the Ministry of Electronics and IT under the Government of India. It offers a safe and effective method to store and access electronic documents in the cloud. It serves as a virtual locker where people can keep their government documents and retrieve them anytime, anywhere. It has since been embedded in services across those sectors, including education, health, transport and support for employment.
DIGIPIN, on the other hand, does not store documents. It acts as a spatial pointer and facilitates the conversion of exact geographical coordinates into an address-like description of location. It is infrastructure-centric, meant to support navigation, delivery and service deployment.
While DigiLocker holds your information for proof and authentication, DIGIPIN shows service providers where you are on the map.
A Complement, Not a Replacement
India Post has clarified that DIGIPIN is not a substitute for your postal address. It serves as an extra layer of accuracy, especially when it comes to logistics partners, emergency responders or e-commerce players like Amazon or Flipkart. The hope, so the thinking goes, is that if they become more widely integrated into GIS systems, service providers will come to lean on DIGIPINs instead of conventional written addresses.
Difficult as it may be, DIGIPIN could then become a cornerstone of India’s tech-driven infrastructure future, helping to connect its citizens more precisely wherever they are located.
