Japan-India pact to unlock smarter construction data

24 Apr 2026 CW Team

ONESTRUCTION Inc., a Tottori-based construction technology company, and DataKaveri Systems have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic and technical collaboration in urban and built-environment data exchange. The partnership combines ONESTRUCTION’s expertise in construction data with DataKaveri’s exchange capabilities to deliver high-quality, accessible and interoperable datasets for urban planners and infrastructure stakeholders.

The agreement was signed at Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru in the presence of representatives from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and India’s Ministry of External Affairs, on the sidelines of the inaugural Japan-India AI Strategic Dialogue. The bilateral initiative focuses on advancing cooperation in artificial intelligence and data infrastructure.

Construction and infrastructure data remain among the least digitised and most fragmented datasets globally. Although openBIM standards such as IFC have improved interoperability during project execution, much of the information generated during construction — including floor plans, utility layouts and asset histories — is often lost or inaccessible after project completion.

Under the MoU, both organisations will explore integrating IFC-compliant construction data with the Intelligent Universal Data Exchange (IUDX), already operational across 55 smart cities in India. They will also collaborate on AI-led use cases for smart cities, utilities and urban infrastructure, while jointly pursuing bilateral funding and development opportunities.

The partnership is expected to strengthen digital twin applications, improve city-level decision-making, and create a scalable model for secure data sharing between India and Japan.

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