Mission Mausam was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 14, 2025 in New Delhi. The inauguration was done as a part of the celebrations for the 150th foundation day of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The mission aims to make India a ‘weather ready’ and ‘climate-smart’ nation with a budget outlay of Rs 2000 crores over the first two years.
Mission Mausam would be implemented by three institutions funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences including the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, Noida. These institutions would be backed by other organisations, such as the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, and the National Institute of Ocean Technology.
The mission would be carried out in two stages. The first stage would last till 2026, and concentrate on expanding the observation network by adding approximately 70 Doppler radars, high-performance computers, and installing 10 wind profilers and 10 radiometers. The IMD has currently installed 39 Doppler radars. The second stage, implemented during the period of 2026–31, would focus on adding satellites and aircraft to further improve observational capabilities. Throughout the entire period, the ministry and its institutions would enhance their understanding of weather and climate processes, improve prediction capabilities, and develop weather management technologies.
The mission would further aim to ‘manage’ specific weather events, with the ability to enhance or reduce rainfall, hail, fog, and eventually lightning strikes. To effectively modify weather, cloud physics would be a critical area that requires further research in India. To this end, India would be setting up a pioneering cloud chamber at the IITM, Pune. This would be set up within a time span of 18 months under the mission for studying the processes occurring within clouds in the context of rising temperatures.
Aims and Objectives
- Mission Mausam aims to develop cutting-edge weather surveillance technologies and systems enhancing atmospheric observations with higher resolution and improved temporal and spatial coverage. It would implement next-generation radars and satellites equipped with advanced instrument payloads, alongside the integration of high-performance computers (HPCs).
- All the efforts would be focused on improving the understanding of weather and climate processes, as well as the prediction capabilities. This would include the development of advanced Earth system models and data-driven methods, such as the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
- The mission would also prioritise the development of technologies for effective weather management and create a state-of-the art dissemination system for last-mile connectivity. Additionally, capacity building would be a key component for supporting these advancements.
Why the Need for Mission Mausam?
According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences, forecasting tropical weather has been challenging because of the complex atmospheric processes and the limitations of current observations and models. The available observational data has been limited both in space and time. Additionally, the horizontal resolution of Numerical Weather Predication (NWP) models, which has been currently at 12 kilometres, makes it hard to accurately predict small-scale weather events in India.
Simultaneously, climate change has been making the atmosphere more unpredictable, leading to extreme weather events like heavy rainfall and localised droughts. These events have created challenges such as flooding and drought.
Cloudbursts, thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls have been some of the least understood weather events in India. Understanding these complex patterns requires a deep knowledge of the physical processes happening within and outside clouds, on the surface, in the upper atmosphere, over oceans, and in the polar regions.
This requires frequent observation at the ground level and throughout the Earth system with enhanced spatial and vertical resolutions for efficiently monitoring Earth’s dynamic systems. Additionally, it calls for increasing horizontal resolution of NWP models from 12 kilometres to 6 kilometres in order to generate forecasts at the panchayat level.
Over the past decade, forecast accuracy has improved by about 40–50 per cent for short-to-medium-range predictions, but there is still room for further improvement in accuracy, lead times, and service delivery.
In the light of these challenges, the Ministry of Earth Sciences has launched Mission Mausam as a national initiative to address these needs and enhance weather forecasting capabilities.
Cloud Chamber
A cloud chamber is a controlled environment designed to study cloud formation and behaviour. It resembles a closed cylindrical or tubular drum where water vapour and aerosols are injected under specific humidity and temperature conditions, allowing clouds to develop inside the chamber. It is designed to visualise the passage of ionising radiation through a supersaturated vapour, typically alcohol or water vapour.
When charged particles (like alpha or beta) pass through the chamber, they ionise the gas molecules, creating trails of condensation droplets that form visible tracks.
The chamber operates by maintaining a temperature gradient, with a cooled base and a warmer top, leading to supersaturation that allows for droplet formation around the ionised particles.
As the temperature rises, clouds tend to grow taller and become more electrically active, while their horizontal spread may decrease. This leads to stronger thunderstorms, more frequent lightning strikes, and changes in rainfall patterns.
Significance of Cloud Chamber Clouds would be artificially created in the IITM laboratory, where experiments would be conducted. This facility would allow scientists to study the seed particles that form cloud droplets or ice particles in a sustainable way.
It would help scientists to experiment cloud seeding techniques. It would also help to determine which types of clouds could be seeded; what materials should be used; and how much seeding would be needed to either increase or prevent rainfall.
The findings from the cloud chamber would also aid in improving the parameterisation of weather models supporting their indigenisation.
It would help scientists to enhance or suppress rainfall and hailstorms within the next five years, who would then focus on other weather phenomena like lightning.
Countries with Cloud Chambers Several countries in the world have basic cloud chambers with limited capabilities, designed for specific studies. Countries and regions such as the US, China, Australia, and the UAE have implemented the cloud seeding technology. However, the effectiveness and environmental impact of cloud seeding continue to be areas of ongoing research. In India, too, a few attempts have been made in this regard in Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. The research is going on, but it has not made any significant progress so far. Establishing a cloud chamber aligns with the mission’s goal of indigenising weather forecasting technology, reducing reliance on foreign models and methods.
Strategy and Key Beneficiaries
Mission Mausam focuses on seven key areas to bridge gaps and improve services. Key deliverables include the establishment of 50 Doppler Weather Radars (DWR), 60 Radio Sonde/Radio Wind (RS/RW) stations, 100 disdrometers, ten wind profilers, 25 radiometers, one urban testbed, one process testbed, one ocean research station, 10 marine automatic weather stations with upper air observation, and a national field campaign.
The mission also plans to develop land surface models, cloud microphysics, and AI/ML tools for improved forecasts. It aims to enhance quantitative precipitation forecasts, create a nowcast system for hourly updates, and collaborate on cyclone studies with the Indian Air Force.
Additionally, it involves the acquisition of uncrewed aircraft systems, atmospheric chemistry instruments, and air quality monitoring tools. Other initiatives include solar radiation monitoring, rain enhancement experiments, and capacity-building programmes involving academia and industry.
The beneficiaries of this initiative include the general public, disaster management authorities, and industries like agriculture, aviation, water resources, power, renewable energy, tourism, health, defence, urban development, and environmental agencies. To improve decision-making, the implementation of a GIS-based Automated Decision Support System is necessary, along with clear communication of weather uncertainties. Outreach through mobile apps, websites, and social media, alongside raising awareness of weather complexity, is also crucial.
Expected Outcomes
- To enhance short to medium-range weather forecast accuracy, and air quality prediction in major metro cities by about 5–10 per cent
- To enable weather predictions at the panchayat level with a lead time of 10–15 days, making weather information more accessible to local communities
- To improve the frequency of nowcasts from every three hours to every hour, allowing for timely updates on rapidly changing weather conditions such as thunderstorms and heavy precipitation
- To improve the accuracy of weather predictions, currently at about 97.99 per cent for extreme events but only around 80 per cent for heavy rainfall forecasts
- To establish a robust network of observation tools, including Doppler radars and HPCs by March 2026
- To enable targeted weather interventions through cloud seeding techniques to manage rainfall effectively—either enhancing it during droughts or suppressing it during floods
Conclusion
Mission Mausam is poised to transform India’s approach to weather forecasting and climate management. By investing in cutting-edge technology and expanding its meteorological capabilities, India is taking crucial steps towards ensuring a safer and more resilient future for its citizens in the face of climate variability.
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