Ministry of Earth Sciences Early Warning Systems Update
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has significantly strengthened its observational network under Mission Mausam, deploying 50 Doppler Weather Radars, 1,008 Automatic Weather Stations, and 6,885 rain gauge stations nationwide. These advancements have resulted in a 40-50% improvement in severe weather forecast accuracy over the past decade, with substantial reductions in cyclone track, landfall, and intensity errors. For flood monitoring, 25 Flood Meteorological Offices issue daily 7-day Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts across 220 sub-basins to assist the Central Water Commission, while operational integrated flood warning systems are active in Chennai and Mumbai.
INCOIS serves as the designated Tsunami Service Provider for 28 Indian Ocean Rim nations, utilizing real-time ocean observations and multi-channel dissemination platforms including Sachet and the SAMUDRA app to issue alerts. Through the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme, 26 coastal villages in Odisha have achieved recognition for local preparedness. The Multi-Hazard Early Warning- Decision Support System (MHEW-DSS) represents a landmark digital transformation initiative developed by IMD using open-source technology and in-house expertise, supporting the vision of a "Weather Ready and Climate Smart Nation."
Research and Monitoring Capabilities
Climate research in the Himalayan region focuses on cascading hazards, glaciology, and hydrological dynamics. NCESS leads flood and hydrological modelling for Garhwal Himalaya hazard studies, while NCPOR conducts long-term monitoring of eight benchmark glaciers across Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh from its high-altitude 'Himansh' research station at 4,080 meters. INCOIS research under Deep Ocean Mission projects mean sea-level rise along the Indian coastline between 0.62 meters and 0.87 meters by 2100 under a high-emission scenario. NIOT maintains an extensive ocean observational network consisting of OMNI moored buoys, coastal HF radars, and tsunami buoys.
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, is conducting an integrated atmospheric and cryospheric observational experiment over Gangotri–Gaumukh and Satopanth Glaciers under its "Metropolitan Air Quality and Weather Forecasting Services (MAQWFS)" project. This includes mobile atmospheric observations along the Gangotri–Gaumukh–Tapovan transect and a continuous monitoring station at Bhojbasa at approximately 3,500 metres above mean sea level.
The National Center for Seismology has expanded the National Seismological Network from 86 observatories in 2014 to 174 active observatories across the country, with 89 strategically placed within high-risk Seismic Zones IV and V. This network has achieved a nationwide earthquake detection threshold of Magnitude 3.0, with an enhanced threshold of Magnitude 2.5 for Delhi-NCR and North-Eastern regions.
For the financial year 2026–27, the proposed budget allocation for the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research under the Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER) scheme is ₹270.00 crore.