Improving capabilities: IMD must remain at the forefront of innovation

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1875. It has evolved over time and is now a symbol of India’s scientific advancement, specialising in predicting short- and long-term weather patterns and giving early warnings for adverse weather events. As India’s weather-tracking department recently turned 150, its importance cannot be overstated. Weather forecasting plays a crucial role in daily operations across various sectors, including agriculture, road and rail transport, flight operations, managing energy output from power plants, and even tourism. For instance, the IMD provides wind speed and direction, global horizontal irradiance forecasts,