India’s Mission Mausam: Pioneering Climate-Smart Strategies for the Future

On January 14, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Mission Mausam, a transformative initiative aimed at making India a “weather-ready” and “climate-smart” nation. This ambitious program, celebrated during the 150th Foundation Day of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), seeks to enhance India’s capabilities in weather forecasting and climate resilience through advanced technology and strategic interventions.

Objectives and Key Features of Mission Mausam

Mission Mausam is designed to address the increasing unpredictability of weather patterns exacerbated by climate change. With a budget allocation of ₹2,000 crore over two years, the mission focuses on several critical objectives:

• Advanced Weather Surveillance: The initiative plans to deploy cutting-edge technologies, including 70 Doppler Weather Radars (DWR), 60 Radio Sonde/Radio Wind stations, and high-performance computing systems. This infrastructure aims to improve the accuracy of weather predictions and extend forecasts to local levels.
• Enhanced Atmospheric Observations: By improving both temporal and spatial coverage of atmospheric data, Mission Mausam will provide more precise weather information. This includes utilizing next-generation satellites and advanced sensors.
• Improved Understanding of Weather Processes: The mission emphasizes deepening the understanding of weather and climate phenomena. This knowledge is essential for developing effective weather management strategies and long-term intervention plans.
• Capacity Building: Mission Mausam aims to strengthen the capabilities of meteorological services, ensuring that stakeholders—including citizens—are better equipped to manage extreme weather events and adapt to climate change impacts.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: The mission will support various sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, urban planning, and health by providing actionable insights derived from advanced data analytics.

Implementation Strategy

The implementation of Mission Mausam will primarily involve three key institutions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences: the IMD, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF). These organizations will collaborate with other national and international partners to enhance India’s leadership in weather and climate sciences.The mission will unfold in two phases:

1. Phase I (2024-2026): Focused on expanding observational capabilities and conducting simulation experiments.
2. Phase II (2026 onwards): Aimed at integrating additional satellites and aircraft into the observational network for enhanced precision.

Addressing Climate Challenges

India faces significant challenges related to climate change, including erratic rainfall patterns, extreme heat waves, and severe flooding. The launch of Mission Mausam comes at a critical time when recent reports highlighted alarming trends in global temperatures and extreme weather events impacting public health and agriculture across the country.By improving forecasting accuracy—targeting an enhancement of 5-10%—and extending prediction capabilities up to 15 days in advance at local levels, Mission Mausam aims to mitigate risks associated with natural disasters. Enhanced early warning systems will empower communities to take timely action during emergencies, ultimately saving lives and reducing economic losses.

Long-Term Vision

In addition to immediate benefits, Mission Mausam aligns with India’s broader goals for sustainable development. The IMD Vision-2047 document released alongside the mission outlines a roadmap for long-term resilience against climate change. This vision includes fostering innovations in meteorology that can be leveraged for global partnerships in climate science.As India embarks on this ambitious journey towards becoming a climate-smart nation, Mission Mausam stands as a testament to the country’s commitment to addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time—climate change. By investing in advanced technologies and enhancing community resilience, India is poised to lead in global efforts toward sustainable environmental management.