India opened a gateway to climate forecast and research in the Himalayas on Tuesday when Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the first-ever “Himalayan High Altitude Atmospheric & Climate Research Centre” in the higher reaches of Nathatop near here.

This move marks a significant milestone in India’s global leadership in climate science, the Union Minister said, adding that Jammu & Kashmir is spearheading India’s global initiative for climate study and research in the Himalayas.

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J&K Science & Technology Minister Satish Sharma, Secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences Dr M Ravichandran, Vice Chancellor of Central University of Jammu Prof Sanjiv Jain, MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia, and members of the Swiss team were present on the occasion, along with senior officers from the central and UT governments.

Situated at one of the highest altitudes in the region, the state-of-the-art facility is expected to serve as a crucial gateway for advanced climate research in the north-western Himalayas.

Coinciding with the inauguration, Dr Jitendra Singh also flagged off the Indo-Swiss Joint Research Project “ICE-CRUNCH (Ice nucleating particles and cloud condensation nuclei properties in the North-Western Himalayas)” – a collaborative study between Indian scientists and researchers from ETH Zürich, Switzerland, aimed at exploring the properties of ice nucleating particles and cloud condensation nuclei in the region.

“This is not just a scientific milestone—it is a historic moment,” Dr Jitendra Singh said, adding, “With the setting up of this station, we are opening up a new gateway into climate research and studies in the Himalayas. And India will be pioneering it.”

The minister underscored that the choice of Jammu and Kashmir for this facility was a conscious one, leveraging its high-altitude advantage for more accurate atmospheric and climate measurements. “The implication is that J&K also joins India’s global headways in addressing the climate concerns,” he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh reflected on how India is now taken seriously on the global stage in matters of climate action and research.

The Nathatop centre is a product of multi-tier collaboration—between the Government of India (through the Ministry of Science & Technology), the Government of Jammu and Kashmir (which provided the land), the Central University of Jammu (whose scientists will participate in research), and the Swiss National Science Foundation (which is providing international expertise).

Calling it a “synergised model” of governance and global partnership, Dr Jitendra Singh said this collaboration mirrors India’s broader approach to climate resilience through coordinated efforts.

“Preserving the Himalayas is not a regional concern but a global imperative,” Dr Jitendra Singh said, emphasising that the region’s vast unexplored resources could play a pivotal role in India’s future economic growth.

The newly inaugurated centre, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the J&K Forest Department, and the Central University of Jammu, is located at an altitude of 2,250 metres above sea level. The site was strategically chosen for its clean air and minimal pollution, providing a rare opportunity to study atmospheric processes in free tropospheric conditions—a key requirement for understanding cloud formation, weather patterns, and aerosol interactions.

The centre’s first set of measurements will be conducted under ICE-CRUNCH, bringing together Indian and Swiss scientists to study ice-nucleating particles and cloud condensation nuclei. These studies are crucial in understanding the role of aerosols in cloud microphysics and their broader implications on climate systems and precipitation in the Himalayan region.