Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh on Thursday announced a major expansion of India’s urban weather observation network, with the India Meteorological Department set to install 200 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) across four major metropolitan cities in 2026.
Addressing the 151st Foundation Day celebrations of IMD, Singh said that 50 AWS each will be deployed in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Pune to enable hyper-local, real-time weather forecasting and strengthen disaster preparedness in densely populated urban areas. He said the dense network would generate high-resolution data critical for predicting sudden cloudbursts, thunderstorms, heatwaves and rapid pressure changes, improving public safety and aiding sectors such as agriculture, aviation and urban planning.
Highlighting the transformation in India’s weather forecasting capabilities over the past decade, the minister said forecast accuracy has improved by more than 40–50 per cent, while cyclone track prediction accuracy has risen by nearly 35–40 per cent. Errors in monthly and seasonal forecasts, he added, have been reduced significantly from around 7.5 per cent to nearly 2.5 per cent, reflecting sustained investment in technology, institutional reforms and scientific capacity.
The announcement came during IMD’s Foundation Day event, marking over 150 years of service. Singh recalled that the department’s 150th anniversary celebrations last year, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had acted as a morale booster for the organisation, accelerating the pace of innovation and modernisation. He said the launch of Mission Mausam by the Prime Minister underscored the government’s long-term commitment to advanced meteorological science and climate services.
Tracing IMD’s evolution, the minister noted that the organisation has grown alongside India’s own administrative journey, adapting continuously from the pre-Independence era to modern times. He said IMD has emerged as a regional leader, providing disaster-related weather information and satellite-based support to neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, strengthening South Asian cooperation in disaster management.
Singh said IMD’s infrastructure has expanded rapidly, with the number of weather radars nearly tripling in the last decade and now covering about 87 per cent of the country’s geographical area. He pointed to the growth of Doppler Weather Radars, rainfall monitoring schemes, aerosol and solar radiation networks, and ultra-short-range forecasts that allow citizens to receive location-specific alerts within hours.
He also highlighted IMD’s alignment with national green energy goals, noting that its headquarters has transitioned fully to solar power, resulting in cost savings and surplus energy fed back into the grid. The growing public trust in IMD, he said, was evident from the surge in traffic to its digital platforms during recent extreme weather and seismic events, prompting further upgrades to digital infrastructure.
During the event, Singh inaugurated several new facilities at the IMD campus, including a Model Observatory, a 3D-printed Automatic Weather Station and an Agro-Automatic Weather Station, showcasing India’s push for indigenously developed and cost-effective meteorological technologies.
Concluding his address, the minister said the government is working on proposals to establish Centres of Excellence and additional Regional Meteorological Centres to further expand IMD’s reach. As IMD enters its 152nd year, he expressed confidence that its accuracy, credibility and public trust would continue to grow, reinforcing its role as a cornerstone of India’s disaster preparedness and climate resilience framework.
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