INDIA METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT (IMD): 150 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
Introduction
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences completed 150 years of service in 2025, marking a major milestone in India’s scientific and technological advancement. Established in 1875, IMD has played a critical role in:
- weather forecasting,
- cyclone warning,
- climate monitoring,
- seismology,
- disaster management,
- aviation safety,
- and agricultural support services.
The 150th Foundation Day celebrations held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, were attended by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who highlighted IMD’s contribution in making India increasingly climate resilient and technologically advanced.
Mission Mausam: Towards a Weather-Ready and Climate-Smart India
On the occasion of IMD’s 150th Foundation Day, the Prime Minister launched “Mission Mausam”, an ambitious initiative aimed at transforming India into a:
- Weather-ready nation
- Climate-smart nation
The initiative focuses on:
- advanced weather surveillance,
- high-resolution atmospheric observations,
- next-generation radars,
- satellites,
- and high-performance computing systems.
Mission Mausam seeks to strengthen:
- forecasting precision,
- disaster preparedness,
- and climate resilience.
IMD Vision-2047
The Prime Minister also released the IMD Vision-2047 document.
Objectives of Vision-2047
The roadmap focuses on:
- climate adaptation,
- weather resilience,
- technological modernisation,
- and strengthening meteorological services as India approaches 100 years of independence in 2047.
The celebrations also included:
- workshops,
- exhibitions,
- and awareness activities showcasing IMD’s role in societal development.
Origin and Historical Significance of IMD
Background of Establishment
The India Meteorological Department was established in 1875 after a series of severe weather disasters exposed the need for a centralized meteorological authority.Major triggering events included:
- the devastating Calcutta cyclone of 1864,
- monsoon failures in 1866 and 1871.
These events highlighted India’s vulnerability to:
- tropical cyclones,
- droughts,
- and monsoon variability.
Evolution of Meteorology in India
The establishment of IMD brought all meteorological activities under one institutional framework and marked the beginning of modern meteorological science in India.Over the years, IMD has:
- modernised weather forecasting,
- adopted advanced technologies,
- improved observational infrastructure,
- and strengthened disaster warning systems.
Its services are now vital for:
- agriculture,
- aviation,
- water resource management,
- fisheries,
- shipping,
- and public safety.
Major Achievements and Advancements of IMD
Pioneering Weather Observation Systems
Transition from Mercury to Digital Barometers
By 2023, IMD replaced all Mercury Barometers with Digital Barometers at all Class-I observatories in compliance with the:
- UNEP Minamata Convention,
which seeks to reduce mercury usage due to health hazards.
Agro-Meteorological Infrastructure Expansion
IMD strengthened agro-meteorological services through:
- deployment of 200 AGRO AWS stations.
These support:
- agricultural forecasting,
- crop advisory,
- and weather-based farming decisions.
GPS-Based Precipitable Water Vapour Stations
IMD maintained:
- 25 GPS-based PB stations,
including: - 5 IMD-manufactured stations,
- 20 outsourced from Indian manufacturers.
These systems support:
- atmospheric moisture monitoring,
- weather prediction,
- and rainfall analysis.
Communication and Public Outreach Innovations
Crowdsource Web Interface
IMD launched:
- an online crowdsourcing interface in January 2021,
- and the “Public Observation” mobile application on 14 January 2022.
The system enables citizens to provide weather-related observations.
Weather Events Covered
Initially the platform covered:
- Rain
- Hail
- Duststorm
- Wind Speed
- Thunderstorm/Lightning
- Fog
This initiative improves:
- real-time observational data,
- public participation,
- and local weather validation.
Advances in Numerical Weather Prediction
Improvement in Forecast Accuracy
IMD reported:
- approximately 40% improvement in overall forecast accuracy in 2023 compared to 2014.
This reflects major advancements in:
- numerical weather prediction,
- computational modelling,
- and observational systems.
Expansion of Doppler Weather Radar Network
| Year | Number of DWRs |
|---|
| 2014 | 15 |
| 2023 | 39 |
The land coverage under radar observation increased by approximately:
- 35% between 2014 and 2023.
Doppler Weather Radars are essential for:
- cyclone tracking,
- rainfall estimation,
- thunderstorm monitoring,
- and nowcasting.
Cyclone Forecasting Successes
IMD successfully predicted several major cyclones including:
- Phailin (2013)
- Hudhud (2014)
- Fani (2019)
- Amphan (2020)
- Tauktae (2021)
- Biparjoy (2023)
- Dana (2024)
Reduction in Cyclone-Related Deaths
Due to accurate warning systems:
- cyclone-related deaths declined dramatically from around 10,000 in 1999 to nearly zero during 2020–2024.
This demonstrates the effectiveness of:
- early warning dissemination,
- evacuation planning,
- and disaster management coordination.
Technological Advancements
High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) Model
The HRRR model supports:
- nowcasting of rainfall,
- reflectivity forecasts,
- and short-duration weather prediction.
Electric Weather Research and Forecasting (EWRF) Model
The EWRF model is used for:
- lightning density forecasting,
- accumulated rainfall forecasting,
- and severe weather monitoring.
Mausamgram
Mausamgram, launched on 15 January 2024, is an:
- interactive meteogram system,
providing: - location-specific weather forecast information.
It improves:
- accessibility of weather information,
- local forecast dissemination,
- and public weather awareness.
Expansion of Rainfall Monitoring Network
| Infrastructure | 2014 | 2023 |
|---|
| Automatic Rain Gauges (ARG) | 1350 | 1382 |
| District-wise Rainfall Monitoring Scheme (DRMS) Stations | 3955 | 5896 |
This expansion has strengthened:
- rainfall observation,
- flood monitoring,
- and hydrometeorological analysis.
Make in India and Indigenous Technologies
IMD has emerged as a major contributor to indigenous meteorological technology development.
Key Indigenous Initiatives
| Technology | Year |
|---|
| Indigenous RADAR | 1958 |
| Satellite collaboration with ISRO | 1983 |
| Automatic Weather Stations | 2000 |
| Doppler Weather Radar | 2010 |
| Common Alerting Protocol | 2019 |
| Impact-Based Forecasting | 2019 |
| Dynamic Composite Risk Atlas | 2022 |
These initiatives support:
- technological self-reliance,
- disaster resilience,
- and climate adaptation.
Broader Importance of IMD
IMD today acts as a cornerstone institution for:
- weather forecasting,
- climate services,
- disaster early warning,
- seismology,
- and environmental monitoring.
Its work is becoming increasingly critical due to:
- climate change,
- extreme weather events,
- monsoon variability,
- and growing disaster risks.
Necessary Static Part
| Institution | Details |
|---|
| India Meteorological Department (IMD) | Established: 1875 |
| Headquarters | New Delhi |
| Parent Ministry | Ministry of Earth Sciences |
| Director General of Meteorology | Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra |
| Functions | Weather forecasting, cyclone warning, climate monitoring, seismology, disaster early warning |
| Mission Mausam | Initiative for weather-ready and climate-smart India |
| UNEP Minamata Convention | International treaty to reduce mercury use and emissions |
| ISRO | Indian Space Research Organisation collaborating in meteorological satellite systems |
Updated – 14 Jan 2025 ; 06:38 PM | PIB [Posted On: 14 JAN 2025 6:08PM by PIB Delhi] | News Source – PIB Delhi