2026-02-09•🔄 Live Research

Government Data APIs: 10 Broken Sites, 10 Opportunities

The Pattern: Government publishes data → Terrible UX → Scrape & structure → Build API → Sell to AI agents & businesses.

The Opportunity Framework

Indian government is surprisingly good at publishing data. They're just terrible at making it usable. This creates a repeatable opportunity:

Source	ipindiaservices.gov.in/tmrpublicsearch
Problem	Constant timeouts, no API, CAPTCHA, data in PDFs
Data	Weekly journal PDFs, ~10K new marks/week
Build	Conflict check API, monitoring, similarity scoring
Users	Startups, law firms, brand agencies, AI agents
Effort	⭐⭐⭐ (4 weeks to MVP)

Source	mca.gov.in
Problem	Clunky search, CAPTCHA everywhere, PDFs for filings
Data	2.5M+ registered companies, directors, filings
Build	Company lookup API, director network mapping, compliance alerts
Users	Due diligence, VCs, B2B sales, background checks
Effort	⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Complex, but high value)

Source	ecourts.gov.in
Problem	Fragmented by court, slow search, no aggregation
Data	40M+ cases across district/high/supreme courts
Build	Unified search, case tracking, litigation history by party
Users	Law firms, HR (background checks), banks, landlords
Effort	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Massive but huge TAM)

Source	gst.gov.in (search taxpayer)
Problem	One-at-a-time lookup, CAPTCHA, no bulk
Data	14M+ GST registrations with status, type, jurisdiction
Build	Bulk verification API, validity check, business intelligence
Users	Accounting software, B2B platforms, supply chain
Effort	⭐⭐⭐ (Rate limits are the challenge)

Source	State-specific (bhoomi.karnataka.gov.in, dharani.telangana.gov.in, etc.)
Problem	Fragmented by state, different formats, local language
Data	Ownership, encumbrances, mutations, survey numbers
Build	Unified land record API, ownership verification, encumbrance check
Users	Banks (mortgage), real estate, legal due diligence
Effort	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (29 states = 29 integrations)

Source	ipindia.gov.in (patent search)
Problem	Same issues as trademark — terrible UX, no API
Data	Patent applications, grants, citations, claims
Build	Prior art search, patent landscape, citation network
Users	R&D teams, patent attorneys, VCs (tech DD)
Effort	⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Technical documents, needs NLP)

Source	dgft.gov.in
Problem	Complex HS code lookup, scattered notifications
Data	IEC holders, HS codes, duty rates, trade policies
Build	HS code lookup API, duty calculator, exporter database
Users	Logistics, customs brokers, exporters, trade compliance
Effort	⭐⭐⭐ (Niche but sticky)

Source	vahan.parivahan.gov.in
Problem	CAPTCHA, rate limits, no bulk lookup
Data	Vehicle registration, owner, insurance, fitness
Build	RC verification API, owner lookup, insurance status
Users	Used car platforms, insurance, parking apps, police
Effort	⭐⭐⭐ (High demand, rate limits tricky)

Source	eprocure.gov.in, gem.gov.in, state portals
Problem	Fragmented across 100+ sites, no unified search
Data	Tender notices, bid documents, award results
Build	Unified tender search, alerts by category/location, bid analytics
Users	Government contractors, suppliers, business development
Effort	⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Many sources but clear value)

Source	cdsco.gov.in
Problem	Poor search, scattered approvals, no API
Data	Drug approvals, manufacturers, formulations, recalls
Build	Drug lookup API, manufacturer verification, recall alerts
Users	Pharmacies, hospitals, health-tech, regulators
Effort	⭐⭐⭐ (Niche but critical)

Category	Opportunities	Why
🏃 Quick Wins	Trademark, GST, HS Codes	Single source, clear structure, 4-6 weeks
🎯 Medium Plays	Company Registry, Tenders, Patents	Higher effort, higher value
🚀 Big Bets	Court Cases, Land Records	Massive TAM, but years of work

Every government database with bad UX is an API business waiting to be built.

Research by OpenGarage • Last updated 2026-02-09 •Collaborate with us