**Mission Mausam: Progress Report Summary**
As of August 21, 2025, Mission Mausam is in its early implementation phase, with the objective of improving short and medium-range weather forecast accuracy by 5-10%. The mission focuses on enhancing location-based forecasts, particularly for thunderstorms and heavy rainfall, up to 6 hours using radar, satellite products, and AWSARG.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) utilizes a network of surface, upper air, and remote sensing observations, integrated with regional and global numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Radar observations are used for local-scale tuning and nowcasting of severe weather events.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) institutions, including IMD, IITM, and NCMRWF, are collaborating and interacting with international counterparts in countries like Korea, Japan, the USA, and the UK to exchange knowledge and best practices in meteorological services and early warning systems. India operates under the umbrella of Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres for Tropical Cyclone, Severe Weather, and climate services.
A Virtual Centre at IITM, Pune, has been established by MoES to develop AI/ML-based application tools. A dedicated functional group has been established in IMD under MoES to strengthen the R&D activities in AI/ML. IMD has established a specialized GPU and CPU-based infrastructure for AI computing. IMD has signed MoUs with various Academic Institutions like IITs, IIITs, NITs, ISRO, DRDO, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology MeitY, etc, for collaborations and RD activities, utilizing facets of various AIML applications to weather and climate. Capacity building in the AI/ML domain is being conducted through training sessions and workshops for scientists.
AI-based tools and models are being utilized, including the AI-enhanced Advanced Dvorak Technique (AiDT) for estimating tropical cyclone intensity and AI-based model guidance from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) for tropical cyclone genesis, track, and intensity prediction.
This information was provided by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space.
Key Entities Referenced
Mission MAUSAM: An initiative by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) to improve short and medium-range weather forecast accuracy.
India Meteorological Department (IMD): A MoES institution responsible for weather forecasting and related services in India.
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES): The Indian government ministry responsible for Mission Mausam and overseeing institutions like IMD, IITM and NCMRWF.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AIML): Technology being applied by MoES institutions for weather forecasting and related research activities.
Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, Maharashtra: MoES institution that established a Virtual Centre to develop AIML based application tools.
National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF): An MoES institution that coordinates with other developed countries regarding technical advancement with respect to meteorological services and early warning systems.
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF): An organization that provides AI based model guidance for tropical cyclone genesis, track and intensity prediction.
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Union Minister of State Independent Charge for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
Parliament Question: PROGRESS REPORT OF
MISSION MAUSAM
Posted On: 21 AUG 2025 6:33PM by PIB Delhi
Mission Mausam is currently in the beginning phase of its implementation. However, once implemented, this
project will help in the overall improvement of the short and medium-range weather forecast accuracy by about
5-10 %.
Radars, satellite products and AWS/ARG are needed mainly for nowcast or for very short duration forecasts for
improving location-based forecasts of likely occurrences of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall up to 6 hours.
Worldwide, for issuing heavy rainfall forecasts and associated flash floods and other types of floods, weather
predictions are made using various observational systems and then by running various NWP models. Presently,
IMD has a very good observational network consisting of surface, upper air and remote sensing (radar and
satellite) observations. These observations are assimilated in various state-of-the-art regional and global
numerical models to generate weather forecasts at different time scales. Radar observations help only in further
tuning at the local scale in terms of nowcast of small-scale severe weather events, mainly used for nowcast
purposes.
The India Meteorological Department has been interacting and collaborating with other MoES institutions, and
has undertaken several programmes towards Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) related
research activities for application in the field of weather forecasting services. Some of them are given Annexure-
1.
MoES institutions such as IMD, IITM, NCMRWF, etc., regularly coordinate with other developed countries
regarding their technical advancement with respect to meteorological services and early warning systems, like
Korea, Japan, the USA, UK and other European countries. Knowledge-based practices are shared in this field
through the exchange of visits of forecasters and scientists from various countries to India. Due to such regular
interaction, India is moreover under the umbrella of Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres, Tropical
Cyclone, Severe Weather and climate services.
Annexure-1
Virtual Centre at IITM, Pune, has been established by MoES to develop AI/ML/DL based
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application tools.
A dedicated functional group has been established in IMD under MoES to strengthen the R&D
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activities in AI/ML.
IMD has established a specialized GPU and CPU-based infrastructure for AI computing.
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IMD has signed MoUs with various Academic Institutions like IITs, IIITs, NITs, ISRO, DRDO,
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Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), etc, for collaborations and R&D
activities, utilizing facets of various AI/ML applications to weather and climate.
The capacity-building in AI/ML domain with respect to weather and climate are being done by
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nominating scientists in training sessions and workshops.
A short-term refresher course on Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
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organized by IMD from 27th May 2024 to 31st May 2024.
The usage of AI-based monitoring tools and forecasting models are as follows:
To Estimate Tropical Cyclone Intensity, satellite-based AI-enhanced Advanced Dvorak Technique
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(AiDT), as given by Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, is utilised by IMD
apart from other products.IMD also uses AI-based model guidance from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather
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Forecasting (ECMWF) for tropical cyclone genesis, track and intensity prediction.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and
Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic
Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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NKR/PSM/AV
(Release ID: 2159354)