Google is rolling out a significant safety enhancement for India with the launch of its Emergency Location Service (ELS) on Android smartphones in Uttar Pradesh. This feature enables Android devices to automatically share the caller's precise location with emergency responders when dialing or sending a message to 112, India’s national emergency number.

The service is built directly into the operating system and supports devices running Android 6.0 and later versions. ELS operates without requiring user configuration or third-party apps, leveraging a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular data to help authorities locate callers more quickly. It continues transmitting location data even if an emergency call is brief or gets disconnected.

During the pilot phase in Uttar Pradesh, ELS facilitated over 20 million emergency calls and SMS interactions, demonstrating its ability to function effectively at scale in one of India’s most populous regions. Notably, location accuracy typically narrows down the caller’s position within approximately 50 meters—marking a substantial improvement over older tower-based triangulation methods.

The technology behind ELS relies on Android’s Fused Location Framework, which intelligently combines multiple data sources to determine the most accurate available location at any given time. Whether users are indoors, outdoors, or traveling in moving vehicles, the system dynamically selects optimal signals to deliver reliable positioning results. Importantly, ELS only activates during emergency communications and remains inactive during regular phone usage.

"In over 60 countries, this service has consistently reduced emergency response times, enabling first responders to reach people in need faster," the company stated.

Addressing privacy concerns—often a sensitive issue for major tech companies like Google—the firm emphasizes robust safeguards embedded within the Emergency Location Service. According to the Mountain View-based company, it does not store, track, or retain any emergency location data generated through ELS. Location information is shared exclusively with authorized emergency personnel and only during active emergency calls or messages sent to 112. Once the interaction concludes, the system automatically ceases all location transmissions.