New Delhi: Strengthening India’s climate research capabilities, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, for the establishment of a climate observation station in the Himalayan region under the Bharat Climate Observation Network (BCON).
The MoU was signed online on June 18, 2026, by Dr. A. Suryachandra Rao, Director of IITM, and Dr. Manish Kumar Naja, Director of ARIES, Nainital.
The agreement, which spans more than fifty years, marks a significant step toward strengthening collaboration in climate and atmospheric sciences under the Mission Mausam initiatives of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
The primary objective of the agreement is to promote collaborative research on climate change through long-term observations of climate variables.
As part of this initiative, a climate observation station will be established at ARIES, Devasthal, contributing to the expansion of the Bharat Climate Observation Network.
The proposed climate observation station will facilitate continuous monitoring of meteorological parameters, climate-active trace gases including greenhouse gases and short-lived climate forcers, atmospheric chemistry, and soil moisture.
The initiative aims to generate long-term, high-quality, and high-accuracy climate datasets that can support frontline climate research in India.
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According to the institutions, ARIES, Devasthal, located at a high-altitude hilltop site, offers a unique environment for advanced atmospheric observations.
Its relatively pristine surroundings provide ideal conditions for measuring baseline atmospheric characteristics, studying greenhouse gases, tracking the transport of climate-relevant pollutants, and understanding climate processes across the Himalayan region.
The new climate observation station will become an integral component of BCON, a national observational initiative conceptualized and implemented by IITM under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
BCON is designed to develop a long-term, high-precision climate monitoring framework across the country.
Through its network of monitoring facilities, including the upcoming climate observation station at Devasthal, BCON seeks to build a robust national climate database capable of supporting the detection of long-term trends, advancing climate change research, and strengthening India’s capacity for climate assessment and evidence-based policymaking.
The high-accuracy datasets generated by the Bharat Climate Observation Network will also provide critical validation and benchmarking for Earth System Models (ESMs).
These datasets will support India’s first Earth System Model, the IITM ESM, enabling more accurate simulations of climate change impacts across the country and improving future climate projections.
The establishment of the climate observation station in the Himalayan region is expected to enhance scientific understanding of atmospheric processes and climate variability in one of India’s most environmentally sensitive regions.
Scientists present during the online signing ceremony included Dr. Suvarna Fadnavis, Dr. Yogesh Tiwari, and senior scientists from the Centre for Climate Change Research (CCCR), IITM.
Representing ARIES, Nainital, Dr. Umesh Kumar Dumka and Dr. Priyanka Srivastava also participated in the ceremony.
The collaboration between IITM and ARIES through the establishment of the climate observation station reflects a long-term commitment toward strengthening climate monitoring infrastructure and advancing atmospheric and climate sciences in India.
