Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address (DHRUVA)

The Department of Posts recently released a draft amendment to the Post Office Act, 2023, aimed at introducing an interoperable, standardised, and user-centric addressing system called the Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address, or DHRUVA.

About Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address (DHRUVA)

Developed by the Department of Posts, DHRUVA sets the foundation for a nationwide Digital Address Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

It envisions a standardized, interoperable, and geocoded digital addressing system that supports secure, consent-based, and seamless sharing of address information

At its core is the concept of Address-as-a-Service (AaaS) — the array of services associated with address data management to support secure and efficient interactions between users, government entities, and private sector organizations.

The AaaS Framework Ensures:

vInteroperability across different address systems used by various sectors.

vStandardization of address formats and geolocation tagging.

vConsent-based sharing to empower user control and privacy.

vPublic-private integration for seamless adoption and innovation.

By recognizing digital addresses as core infrastructure, akin to Aadhaar and Unified Payments Interface (UPI), DHRUVA sets out to streamline everything from e-governance and online commerce to urban planning and emergency services.

The policy also places emphasis on user-centric design, ensuring that citizens have meaningful control over how their address data is used and shared.

Citizens will retain full control over their digital address identity, with options to manage access, update details, and share their verified address securely for various use cases

The DHRUVA platform will also feature multilingual support, mobile-first access, and integration with identity systems like Aadhaar, thereby improving usability and accessibility for all demographics.

The DHRUVA policy builds upon the earlier launch of the Digital Postal Index Number (DIGIPIN)—the National Addressing Grid introduced by the Department of Posts

Key Facts about DIGIPIN

It is an open-source nationwide geo-coded addressing system developed by the Department of Posts in collaboration with IIT Hyderabad and NRSC, ISRO

It divides India into approx. 4m x 4m grids and assigns each grid a unique 10-character alphanumeric code based on latitude and longitude coordinates.

The DIGIPIN system is publicly accessible and supports improvements in emergency response, logistics efficiency, and citizen service delivery