Earth Sciences Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the number of Doppler Weather Radars in the country has increased from fourteen to fifty one in the last twelve years. The Minister said this while virtually inaugurating India’s 51st state-of-the-art Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur in Odisha today.

He said that around forty more radars are planned under Mission Mausam. He added that this expansion is part of the Government’s broader effort to strengthen India’s capacity to observe, understand and respond to extreme weather events. He underlined that enhanced observation capabilities are particularly important for regions vulnerable to thunderstorms, lightning, heavy rainfall and other weather-related hazards. Dr Singh also said that the Government is simultaneously expanding a network of ground-based meteorological observation systems. He also highlighted the deployment of advanced observational systems, including radio sonde stations and microwave radiometers, as part of the effort to build a comprehensive and multi-layered weather observation network.

Talking about the radar inaugurated today, Dr Singh said that the Sambalpur radar is significant as it will help bridge an important observational gap in the region. He added that the additional observations generated by the radar will strengthen the ability of meteorological agencies to track weather systems and provide more timely and accurate information to the administration and communities.

Furthermore on the occasion, Dr Singh highlighted the role of India Meteorological Department (IMD) in providing weather forecast for foreign counties. He said that in the spirit of ‘Neighbour First’ and ‘Vishwa Bandhu Bharat’, IMD is providing weather, cyclone and flash-flood forecasting and early warning support to thirteen neighboring countries.