Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates 14th Asia-Oceania Conference, calls “Mission Mausam” a transformational initiative
New Delhi: Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), praised “Mission Mausam” as a revolutionary project that would revolutionize India’s weather forecasting skills at the opening of the 14th Asia-Oceania Meteorological Satellite Users’ Conference. India‘s approach to weather and climate forecasting, according to a Ministry of Earth Sciences news release issued on Wednesday.
Singh emphasized the importance of Mission Mausam, describing it as the first all-encompassing scientific endeavor by the Indian government solely focused on tackling climate-related issues.
He added that the initiative has drawn international attention for its creative approach and potential impact. “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership, this mission is a reflection of India’s aspiration to play a pivotal role in tackling global climate issues,” the release said.
The minister pointed out that India is now a leader in Asia-Oceania because of its developments in weather forecasting and satellite technology. He highlighted how predicting accuracy has greatly increased with the use of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and geoinformatics. The announcement further said that India is supporting the Neighbourhood First concept by giving its neighbors vital weather data via satellites like the GSAT series.
Jitendra Singh called the 150th anniversary of the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) founding a significant milestone in the country’s scientific history.
In light of this historic milestone, he expressed delight in convening the 14th Asia-Oceania Meteorological Satellite Users’ Conference in India for the first time.
In order to promote regional and global cooperation in satellite meteorology, the minister emphasized the Asia-Oceania Meteorological Satellite Users’ Conference (AOMSUC-14). He highlighted the involvement of prominent satellite operators, such as the Korea Meteorological Administration, China Meteorological Administration, and Japan Meteorological Agency, as evidence of the increasing solidarity in tackling climate and weather issues. “India is proud to contribute through ISRO and IMD, sharing our expertise and resources for a sustainable and resilient future,” he said.
He described India’s incredible progress in satellite meteorology, from depending on foreign data to developing its own satellite programs and becoming self-sufficient. Weather forecasting has been transformed by the Bhaskara and INSAT satellite series, which have made it possible to follow cyclones in real time, predict monsoons more accurately, and send out catastrophe warnings in a timely manner. India is poised to substantially improve its capacity for weather monitoring and disaster preparation with the help of cutting-edge platforms like INSAT-3DR and GSAT-30, as well as the forthcoming GISAT series.
The minister praised the AOMSUC’s capacity-building programs, which guarantee that underdeveloped countries gain from satellite meteorological breakthroughs. Countries in the Asia-Oceania area may use state-of-the-art technologies for disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation thanks to training sessions and technical assistance. “To push the boundaries of innovation in meteorological science, he called for greater integration of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and private-sector satellite data,” the announcement noted.
Jitendra Singh pointed out that over the last 10 years, there has been a notable 40–50% increase in the accuracy of severe weather forecasts, emphasizing the influence on lowering the number of fatalities from cyclones and other extreme weather events. According to the announcement, IMD’s work and the integration of satellite data have improved India’s disaster management while also assisting neighboring nations in South Asia and the Indian Ocean area, therefore solidifying India’s position as a pioneer in meteorological services.
