The announcement was made during the 151st Foundation Day celebrations of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a landmark occasion marking over one and a half centuries of the organisation’s dedicated service to the nation.
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Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh Thursday announced that 50 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) each will be installed in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Pune during 2026 — a total of 200 — marking a decisive step towards strengthening hyper-local, real-time weather forecasting and disaster preparedness, particularly in densely populated urban regions.
The announcement was made during the 151st Foundation Day celebrations of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a landmark occasion marking over one and a half centuries of the organisation’s dedicated service to the nation.
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Addressing senior officers, meteorology experts, and stakeholders, the Minister said a dense network of AWSs will provide granular and high-resolution spatial data, enabling more accurate prediction of sudden downpours, thunderstorms, extreme heat events, and rapid pressure changes.
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Highlighting the transformation in India’s weather forecasting capabilities, the Minister said forecast accuracy has improved by more than 40 to 50 per cent compared to earlier decades. Cyclone track prediction accuracy has increased by nearly 35 to 40 per cent, while errors in monthly and seasonal forecasts have reduced sharply from around 7.5 per cent to nearly 2.5 per cent. He attributed these improvements to sustained investment, technological freedom, and institutional support over the last decade.
He emphasised that such data-driven forecasting is critical not only for disaster risk reduction but also for informed decision-making in sectors such as agriculture, aviation, urban planning, and public safety.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the launch of Mission Mausam by Prime Minister Narendra Modi represents a clear declaration of intent and priority by the government towards advanced meteorological science and climate services.
The Minister also highlighted India’s growing role as a regional leader in meteorological services, noting that India now provides disaster-related weather information and satellite-based support to neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. He said these efforts have strengthened regional cooperation and underscored India’s responsibility as a trusted partner in disaster management across South Asia.
Detailing IMD’s infrastructure expansion, Dr Jitendra Singh said the number of weather radars has nearly tripled over the past decade, now covering close to 87 per cent of the country’s geographical area. He pointed to the expansion of Doppler Weather Radars, solar radiation monitoring networks, aerosol monitoring systems, micro radiometers, and rainfall monitoring schemes that now extend down to the district and block levels.
He also highlighted the development of highly localised forecasts, including ultra-short-range predictions that allow citizens to make informed decisions within timeframes as precise as three hours. The Minister emphasised that IMD’s increasing credibility and public trust are reflected in the unprecedented demand for its services.
Dr Jitendra Singh also highlighted IMD’s alignment with the government’s green energy priorities, noting that the department’s headquarters was among the first to transition fully to solar energy following the launch of national electricity schemes. This transition, he said, has resulted in substantial savings in electricity expenditure while also contributing surplus power back to the national grid.
As part of the programme, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated multiple key facilities at the IMD campus, including a Model Observatory, a 3D-Printed Automatic Weather Station, and an Agro-Automatic Weather Station.
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