**Executive Summary**
This document reports on the installation of Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) and Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). The report, submitted to the Rajya Sabha on February 12, 2026, details progress in expanding weather monitoring infrastructure across India. The goal is to improve coverage and data collection for weather forecasting.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **DWR Installations:**
* IMD installed 3 new DWRs: 2 C-Band Radars (Raipur, Mangalure), and 1 X-Band DWR (Jorhat, Assam).
* IMD installed a total of 10 DWRs in the Western Himalayan Region.
* Currently, radars are operational at Mohanbari, Cherrapunji, Agartala, Jorhat in the eastern Himalayan region.
* There are 11 radars functioning with west coast and 8 radars with east coast
* **DWR Network Coverage:**
* The current DWR network of 48 DWRs covers about 92% of the total area of the country.
* Gaps exist in DWR coverage over coastal, hilly, and island regions.
* **AWS Installations and Expansion:**
* IMD installed 200 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) across India.
* MoES is coordinating with State Governments to install AWS under the "Weather Information Network and Data System” (WINDS) program.
* The aim is to establish a nationwide network of AWS at block/tehsil levels and Automatic Rain Gauges (ARG) at Gram Panchayat levels.
* **Delays and Data Use:**
* There have been no major delays, however in some cases delays occurred due to non-availability of technically suitable space and related facilities.
* Currently, there is no proposal to use the data available from private or academic networks.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholders: India Meteorological Department (IMD)**
* **Impact:** The IMD has expanded its weather monitoring capabilities with new radar and AWS installations.
* **Action Required:** Continue to expand and maintain the weather monitoring network, and coordinate with MoES for nationwide coverage.
**Stakeholders: State Governments**
* **Impact:** State Governments are involved in the expansion of the AWS network.
* **Action Required:** Collaborate with MoES on the installation of AWS under the WINDS program at block/tehsil levels.
**Stakeholders: Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for overseeing the expansion of the AWS network and coordinating with State Governments.
* **Action Required:** Continue coordinating with State Governments to establish the nationwide network of AWS and ARGs.
**Stakeholders: General Public**
* **Impact:** Enhanced weather forecasting capabilities provide improved weather information and warnings.
* **Action Required:** None specified.
Key Entities Referenced
India Meteorological Department (IMD): Primary agency installing and maintaining weather monitoring infrastructure.
Automatic Weather Stations (AWS): Infrastructure installed across India for weather monitoring.
Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs): Radar systems used by IMD to monitor weather conditions across the country.
Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS): Scheme to establish a nationwide network of AWS at block/tehsil levels and Automatic Rain Gauges (ARG) at Gram Panchayat levels
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES): Coordinating body involved in the installation of AWS.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: INSTALLATION OF
WEATHER STATIONS
Posted On: 12 FEB 2026 12:51PM by PIB Delhi
During last one year, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has installed 3 Doppler Weather Radars
(DWRs), (2 C-Band Radars at Raipur and Mangalure and one X-Band DWR at Jorhat, Assam), and 200
Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) across India.
The current DWR network of 48 DWRs covers about 92% of the total area of the country and there are some
gaps in the DWR coverage over the coastal, hilly, and island regions across the country. To improve the radar
monitoring across the Himalayan region, IMD has installed a total of 10 DWRs in the Western Himalayan
Region at locations, Leh, Banihal Top, Jammu, Srinagar, Lansdowne, Mukteshwar, Surkanda Devi, Jot,
Murari Devi, Kufri, which are operational in real-time. In the eastern Himalayan region, currently, radars are
operational at Mohanbari, Cherrapunji, Agartala, Jorhat. In the coastal states, there are 11 radars functioning
with west coast located at Thiruvananthpuram, Kochi, Mangalore, Mumbai, Veravali, Mumbai (Juhu),
Mumbai (Panvel), Mumbai (Kalyan), Mumbai (Vasai), Goa and Bhuj, and the East coast with 8 radar with
Chennai, Gopalpur, Paradip, Karaikal, NIOT Chennai, Machilipatnam, Visakhapatnam, Sriharikota (ISRO).
There have been no major delays. However, in a few cases, some delays have occurred due to the non-
availability of technically suitable space and related facilities. Currently, there is no proposal to use the data
available from private or academic networks.
The current DWR network covers nearly 92% of the country’s geographical area. Further, MoES is also
coordinating with State Governments on the installation of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) under the
“Weather Information Network and Data System” (WINDS) to establish a nationwide network of AWS at
block/tehsil levels and Automatic Rain Gauges (ARG) at Gram Panchayat levels to achieve nationwide
coverage.
This information was submitted by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences Dr.
Jitendra Singh in Rajya Sabha on 12th February 2026.
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