Bharat Forecast System: India launches world's most precise weather model to improve predictions

PTI photo
NEW DELHI: In a major boost to India's weather prediction capabilities, the government on Monday unveiled the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS) — the world's highest-resolution weather model, operating on a 6-kilometre grid.
Developed by researchers including Parthasarathy Mukhopadhyay, the model aims to deliver more granular and accurate forecasts, especially for small-scale weather patterns.
"This significant milestone represents a major leap in India's self-reliance in meteorological sciences, enabling more accurate and granular weather forecasts up to panchayat level for disaster risk reduction, agriculture, water resource management and public safety," a senior official from the Earth Sciences Ministry said.
The BFS was made possible through the installation of Arka, a new supercomputer at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) campus last year. Arka boasts a computational capacity of 11.77 petaflops and a storage capacity of 33 petabytes.
"The previous supercomputer 'Pratyush' used to take up to 10 hours to run the forecasting model. Arka performs the same data-crunching within four hours," Mukhopadhyay told news agency PTI.
Union Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh dedicated the Bharat Forecasting System to the nation at a function in New Delhi.
According to M. Ravichandran, the BFS will leverage a network of 40 Doppler Weather Radars from across India to generate highly localised forecasts.
'The BFS provides insight into weather events likely to take place in a grid of 6 km by 6 km against the earlier models that gave predictions for a 12 km grid,' he explained.
The number of Doppler radars is expected to rise to 100, which would allow the weather office to issue nowcasts — short-term forecasts for the next two hours — for the entire country.
The system offers high-resolution forecasts for the tropical region between 30 degrees South and 30 degrees North latitudes, which includes the Indian mainland spanning from 8.4 degrees to 37.6 degrees North. In comparison, Ravichandran pointed out that the global forecast models run by the European, British, and US weather offices operate at resolutions ranging from 9 km to 14 km.
The BFS arrives at a critical time when weather anomalies are increasingly influencing India's economy, particularly in the form of sticky food inflation. The government, in its latest Economic Survey, noted that frequent extreme weather events over the past two years have played a significant role in driving up food prices.
Data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) cited in the report highlighted that the total crop area damaged in 2024 due to extreme weather was higher than in previous years.
India Meteorological Department
(IMD) data, according to the Economic Times, revealed a notable increase in the frequency of such events. Between 2022 and 2024, heatwaves were recorded on 18 per cent of days, a sharp rise from 5 per cent during 2020 and 2021.
The Economic Survey recommended developing climate-resilient crops, improving data systems, and reducing both crop damage and post-harvest losses to achieve long-term price stability.
Supporting these concerns, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its monthly bulletin flagged the impact of weather anomalies on vegetable prices, stating that temperature anomalies have increased, prompting the need for temperature-resistant crop varieties.
Despite these concerns, the bulletin noted that the inflation outlook has improved, with food inflation declining more than expected. However, weather-related and global risks continue to pose challenges.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Print

an hour ago

• The Print

India has moved from tech follower to global leader in science and innovation: Jitendra Singh

The minister credited this shift to a 'supportive political dispensation' after 2014 that allowed scientists the freedom to experiment even when success wasn't guaranteed. Speaking at a press conference following detailed presentations by four major science departments, Singh said, 'The last 11 years turned technology into the engine of India's growth story. More importantly, we are no longer a technology follower but a technology leader.' India is now setting global best practices in science and innovation rather than waiting to adopt them from abroad, he added. New Delhi, Jun 23 (PTI) Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Monday said India has transformed into a global leader in science and technology over the past decade driven by a political climate that enabled scientific risk-taking and innovation. 'What a scientist needs most is the liberty to try and that space was given to us by the hon'ble prime minister,' he said, pointing to reforms like opening up space and nuclear sectors to private participation and encouraging global collaborations. Emphasising that India never lacked talent but previously lacked policy support, Singh said the country had moved away from working in silos and was now witnessing convergence between public and private sectors. 'In other countries, there is no hard demarcation between public and private in scientific work. We have started moving in that direction,' he noted. Ajay Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, echoed the minister's remarks and praised the transformative shift in India's science and technology landscape. 'You would have all noticed that in the last 11 years, science and technology has moved from the sidelines to the centre stage of national development,' said Sood, adding that four science departments had clearly demonstrated this journey through their presentations. He explained that the office of the PSA plays a key role in providing evidence-based and ministry-agnostic scientific advice to the prime minister and the Cabinet, identifying gaps and recommending national missions. 'We are not tied to any one ministry. Our focus is on mapping the entire scientific landscape and ensuring cross-sectoral coordination,' Sood said. He noted that under the Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), 11 targeted national missions, including the National Quantum Mission, National One Health Mission, Deep Ocean Mission, and the Green Hydrogen Mission, have been initiated. These were based on identified priority areas and implemented by the concerned departments for coordinated national impact. Sood also highlighted the significance of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), calling it 'a very, very important initiative' that had its genesis in early discussions within the PSA office before its formal rollout last year. PTI UZM AS AS This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

Time of India

7 hours ago

• Time of India

How an increase in R&D spending can boost the small business ecosystem

The Economic Survey 2024-25 pointed out that India is falling behind in research and development (R&D), revealing a notable disparity across key sectors. In fact, there is a stark difference in the gross expenditure on research & development ( GERD ) between India and other countries. While the GERD is a mere 0.64% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in India, business enterprises contribute over 50% to the GERD in most developed and emerging economies. In fact, the Eco Survey stated that this share exceeds 70% in countries like China, Japan, South Korea and the USA. What factors contribute to India's lag in R&D spending? Why is R&D central to boosting MSME performance? by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Rohinton Sidhwa, Partner, Deloitte India, said that R&D boosts innovation and has a remarkable effect on the competitive advantage of its small business ecosystem. 'MSMEs depend on inputs that help serve their market with an element of stability. One of these inputs is innovation and technology, and since they are dependent on this input coming and being paid for from overseas, it significantly strains their overall business models. The last few years have seen a huge increase in currency-related costs and fractured trade relations. Locally sourced R&D can give MSMEs and startups a huge advantage,' he says. The Economic Survey also pointed out that the industrial R&D in India is not only low but also concentrated within specific sectors. Drugs and pharmaceuticals are leading the way, followed by information technology, transportation, defence, and biotechnology. Live Events The Survey also noted that historically, India's R&D focus has been on basic research rather than applied research. 'This often lacks the practical applications needed to attract private investment. This gap needs to be bridged to streamline and drive innovations and investment across multiple sectors. To bridge this gap, we need to foster industry/academia collaboration, enhance private-sector participation, and prioritise applied research. And the private sector needs to respond to the R&D challenge wholeheartedly,' the Survey stated. MSMEs are of the view that investing more in R&D can enable the sector to do more than merely remain competitive, as it makes them drivers of innovation. Drawing a parallel with developed economies, they say that small companies flourish here within established innovation ecosystems. 'Take Germany, for instance, where many mid-sized appliance makers work closely with research institutions to embed IoT and automation into conventional home appliances. India needs a similar ecosystem, especially for MSMEs. Home-grown innovations, like voltage-stabilised electronics or water-efficient washing systems, have the potential to create significant local impact when backed by the right R&D support,' says Abhishek Gupta, Director of Finance and Operations at Summercool Home Appliances. Previously, the firm had allocated Rs 2 crore annually toward research and process upgrades. This year, they have ramped it up to nearly Rs 3 crore in light of a broader product portfolio. 'This increased focus is facilitating us to develop more advanced, user-centric appliances, improve energy efficiency, and stay ahead of new directions in technology. Our efforts are on delivering smarter air coolers, energy-saving washing machines, and technology-fused televisions aligned with Indian consumers' evolving needs,' he adds. Echoing similar sentiments, Devesh K Singhal, Director and CEO (Technical) of paper manufacturing company Chandpur Paper, says that enabling MSMEs in this journey is important to India's overall innovation and sustainability strategy as an emerging economy. 'Targeted R&D allows us to investigate options such as alternative sources of fibre, lower consumption of water and energy, and better product quality. Paper per capita consumption in India is far less than global standards, indicating vast untapped potential,' he states. The firm commits 2-3% of their yearly operational expenses to research and innovation. 'Our recent efforts have included enhancing the surface finish and printability of our MG Poster and Chromo (C1S) papers, in addition to adopting water-saving practices and energy-saving technologies,' he adds. Rooting for a more robust policy environment in favour of MSME-driven R&D, Singhal states that this can translate to effective changes on the ground. 'An increased focus on industry-oriented educational curriculum and training and availability of small target-oriented training modules by academic institutions will help the sector be at the forefront of India's manufacturing future,' he emphasises. On the occasion of World MSME Day on June 27, 2025, ET Digital will also open registrations for its sixth edition of the ET MSME Awards 2025 . The coveted award programme celebrates India's top MSMEs for their achievements and contribution to the nation's economic development.

Hindustan Times

10 hours ago

• Hindustan Times

Bengaluru wakes up to cloudy skies as IMD predicts rainy week with light to moderate showers

Bengaluru woke up on Monday to cloudy skies and a cool breeze, as light rain and thundershowers were reported in parts of the city. As per IMD data, Bengaluru will see mostly cloudy skies and intermittent rain throughout the week. (PTI) According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this pattern is likely to continue throughout the week, prompting caution due to wind speeds and potential heavy rain in some districts in Karnataka. (Also Read: 'Bound to fail': BJP MP Tejasvi Surya slams ₹ 18,000 crore Congress-backed tunnel project in Bengaluru) Check out weather forecast here: In Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts, light to moderate rain accompanied by sustained winds of 40–50 kmph is expected until Saturday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast similar conditions for surrounding districts such as Ramanagara, Tumakuru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga, and Davangere. From Monday to Tuesday, moderate rain and thundershowers are likely in parts of Mysuru, Mandya, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, and Shivamogga. Bengaluru and its neighbouring regions will continue to see light rain paired with gusty winds. By Wednesday, the weather is expected to intensify. Heavy rain has been forecast at isolated locations in Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts, while several other districts, including Bengaluru, will receive light to moderate rain and thundershowers. (Also Read: Crack on Hosur flyover disrupts Bengaluru-bound traffic, triggers major jam, ) Thursday and Friday will bring further spells of heavy rain in parts of Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Chikkamagaluru, with Bengaluru and central Karnataka districts likely to experience consistent light to moderate rainfall and strong winds. Saturday is expected to follow a similar pattern, with heavy rain in hilly districts and lighter showers continuing in Bengaluru and across southern interior Karnataka. Residents are advised to carry rain protection, avoid water-logged roads, and stay updated with official alerts, especially those in regions prone to heavy downpours. (Also Read: Green signal for Bengaluru's Skydeck: ₹ 500 cr tourism landmark to rise at Kommaghatta)