Android's Emergency Location Service (ELS) has officially launched in India, beginning with the state of Uttar Pradesh. This service, designed to enhance emergency response, allows Android devices to automatically share location data with emergency services when users dial 112 or other emergency numbers. The feature is available on devices running Android 6.0 or higher and requires no additional hardware or applications.
Originally introduced in 2016, ELS aims to assist callers, especially in situations where communication may be hindered. Google extended this service to U.S. carriers in 2018, and after years of anticipation, it is now accessible to users in India. A pilot program in Uttar Pradesh demonstrated ELS's effectiveness, successfully transmitting critical location information during a significant number of calls, even when connections were lost shortly after dialing.
Google emphasizes that user location data is not stored or shared with the company; instead, it is sent directly to emergency responders. The implementation in Uttar Pradesh is a step towards potentially broader availability across India, though expansion will depend on collaboration with local emergency services and telecommunications providers.