Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology

What Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology does

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) is a government autonomous research institute founded in 1962 and headquartered in Pune, India, operating under the administrative control of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. Originally under the Department of Science & Technology, IITM transitioned to MoES on July 12, 2006, and has evolved into India's premier institution for atmospheric and climate research with a specific mandate on monsoons and tropical meteorology. The institute's Governing Council is chaired by the Secretary of MoES, with the Director serving as chief executive.

IITM's core capabilities span atmospheric research, weather forecasting, and air quality monitoring, supported by a Multi-Petaflop supercomputer inaugurated in 2018. Its technology portfolio includes indigenous AI-powered forecasting systems such as the Bharat Forecast System (6 km x 6 km resolution, updated every three hours), the AI-powered Local Monsoon Onset Forecasting System combining ECMWF's AIFS with IITM's Extended Range Prediction model, and the High Spatial Resolution Rainfall Forecast system providing 1km resolution predictions up to 10 days in advance for Uttar Pradesh. Supporting infrastructure includes atmospheric research testbeds (ART-CI, HACPL at Mahabaleshwar, C-ART at Visakhapatnam, LARUS UAV facility), four X-band polarimetric radars in Mumbai, and dense MESONET rain gauge networks. Specialized products include SkyCast aviation weather monitoring (deployed at Delhi's IGI Airport, making India the 19th country globally with such capability), SAFAR urban air quality forecasting, and the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi-NCR.

IITM operates as a non-commercial public-good entity with no pricing on any products or services. All outputs are funded through annual government budget allocations under the Mission Mausam initiative, with deployment through formal MoUs with state governments (Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh) and national ministries (Agriculture, Civil Aviation). Distribution occurs via direct government-to-government integration into state disaster management infrastructure, public-facing websites and mobile applications (SAFAR-Air, DAMINI lightning app), and the Ministry of Agriculture's farmer outreach framework reaching 16 states and 3,000+ sub-districts. The institute serves farmers, disaster management authorities, aviation operators, and environmental regulators across India, with international research collaborations extending to the University of Southampton and Sorbonne University.

Name

Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology

Legal name

Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology

Website

https://tropmet.res.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology is a government autonomous research institute under India's Ministry of Earth Sciences, founded in 1962 and headquartered in Pune. It develops indigenous AI-powered weather and climate forecasting systems, including the Bharat Forecast System and monsoon onset models, providing services free of charge to government agencies, farmers, and disaster management authorities across India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Meteorological Research and Weather Forecasting Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Space Research and Technology (92711), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEUAHAKAD

Remote Sensing & Earth Observation Analytics (Satellite/UAV/LiDAR, Image Processing)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Environmental Data Management, Modeling & GIS/Remote Sensing

SECONDARYBPADADAA

Disaster Response & Search and Rescue (SAR)

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Humanitarian Relief & Emergency Response

SECONDARYEUAHACAA

Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (Criteria Pollutants & Air Toxics)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Environmental Monitoring & Sampling (Air/Water/Soil/Noise)

Keywords

• Weather forecasting systems
• Climate research services
• Monsoon prediction systems
• Atmospheric science research
• Air quality monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Pune

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: IITM is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, funded through annual budget allocations from the government. The institute conducts research in atmospheric sciences as a public good, with no commercial revenue model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) is an autonomous government research institute under India's Ministry of Earth Sciences that develops and operates indigenous AI-powered weather forecasting systems, climate prediction models, and atmospheric monitoring infrastructure. It produces operational forecasting products ranging from hyperlocal nowcasting to seasonal monsoon predictions, and provides air quality monitoring services for major Indian metropolitan areas. All outputs are delivered as public goods to government agencies, disaster management authorities, farmers, and the public free of charge.

Product overview

IITM operates as India's premier meteorological research institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, offering a comprehensive suite of weather and climate products organized as a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offerings include real-time monitoring systems (SAFAR Online, Air Quality Early Warning System, Mumbai Radar and MESONET), prediction systems at various temporal scales (Short and Medium Range Prediction System, Seasonal Prediction System, Extended Range Prediction), and advanced AI-driven forecasting tools (Bharat Forecast System, AI-powered Local Monsoon Onset Forecasting System, High Spatial Resolution Rainfall Forecast System). Supporting infrastructure includes research testbeds (HACPL, ART-CI, C-ART, LARUS), data portals (Climate Data Portal), and the Monsoon Mission project. The SkyCast aviation weather system represents a specialized application for aviation safety. Together these products provide end-to-end coverage from hyperlocal nowcasting to seasonal predictions, supporting agriculture, disaster management, aviation, and urban planning across India.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research): India's first urban air quality and weather forecasting system providing real-time air quality information for major Indian cities
• Air Quality Early Warning System
• Bharat Forecast System
• C-ART (Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed)
• LARUS (Lower Atmospheric Research using Unmanned Aerial System)
• MESONET
• SkyCast

Products and services

• SAFAR Online Real-time urban air quality monitoring and forecasting system providing air quality information and health advisories for major Indian metropolitan areas.
• Short and Medium Range Prediction System Weather forecasting system providing predictions for short to medium-range timeframes using ensemble prediction techniques.
• Seasonal Prediction System Seasonal forecasting system for monsoon and other seasonal weather patterns across India.
• Extended Range Prediction Extended range weather prediction system providing forecasts beyond medium-range up to four weeks.
• Climate Data Portal Portal providing access to climate data sets, historical records, and climate analysis tools.
• Air Quality Early Warning System Real-time air quality monitoring and forecasting system providing alerts and early warnings for pollution events in Delhi-NCR and other metropolitan areas.
• Bharat Forecast System (BharatFS) Indigenous high-resolution weather forecasting system providing 6 km x 6 km resolution forecasts updated every three hours, enabling predictions at gram panchayat and sub-taluka levels.
• AI-powered Local Monsoon Onset Forecasting System AI-driven system combining ECMWF AI Forecasting System, IITM-Extended Range Prediction model, and Evolving Expectation Model to predict monsoon arrival at local level up to four weeks in advance.
• High Spatial Resolution Rainfall Forecast (HSRRF) System AI-driven rainfall forecasting system providing predictions at 1km resolution up to 10 days in advance using data from weather stations, Doppler radars, and satellites.
• SkyCast Aviation Weather Monitoring System Advanced next-generation atmospheric monitoring platform combining Radar Wind Profiler, SODAR, Microwave Radiometer, and Lidar-based Ceilometer for real-time aviation weather intelligence.
• X-band Dual-Polarisation Doppler Weather Radar (Mahabaleshwar) High-altitude weather radar providing hyperlocal nowcasting up to three hours ahead with 75-metre spatial resolution and updates every 6-10 minutes.
• Mumbai Radar and MESONET Network India's first urban weather radar network with four X-band polarimetric radars and dense MESONET rain gauge network providing high-resolution rainfall mapping across Mumbai.
• Monsoon Mission National mission focusing on improving monsoon prediction through seasonal prediction, extended range prediction, and parameterization of physical processes.
• Center for Climate Change Research (CCCR) Research center dedicated to climate change studies and climate modeling for India.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% improvement in forecast accuracy over the past decade
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability13 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Andhra UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIITM established the Rs 180 crore Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) Open-Field Observatory at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam under Mission Mausam. The facility monitors aerosols, clouds, precipitation, and greenhouse gases along the Bay of Bengal coast to improve forecasts of extreme weather events including cyclones, intense thunderstorms, and heatwaves.
• ISRO Space Applications CentrecoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration agreement between IITM and ISRO's Space Applications Centre to improve weather forecast accuracy by integrating satellite observations with ground-based measurements. Focus areas include real-time data sharing, validation of satellite products, and developing technologies for cloud characteristics, rainfall, air pollution, and extreme weather estimation.
• Maharashtra State Disaster Management AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed for integration of the Bharat Forecast System into Maharashtra's disaster preparedness framework. The indigenous system provides high-resolution weather forecasts enabling predictions at gram panchayat and sub-taluka levels, strengthening early warnings and coordinated response during extreme weather events.
• SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed between SRMIST and IITM to facilitate collaboration in weather and climate sciences research. SRMIST launched the Mission Mausam Urban Testbed, a facility developed by IITM to monitor atmospheric parameters and improve monsoon prediction in urban environments.
• University of SouthamptonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration on tropical rainfall trends. Climate scientists from University of Southampton, Sorbonne University, and IITM published research in Nature Communications finding that changes in wind patterns are the primary factor influencing tropical rainfall trends over the past 45 years.
• Sorbonne UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration on tropical rainfall trends. Climate scientists from Sorbonne University, University of Southampton, and IITM published research identifying three main drivers of tropical rainfall changes: faster warming of land compared to oceans, expansion of Indo-Pacific Warm Pool, and increased warming and desertification in Northern Hemisphere.
• India Meteorological Department (IMD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIITM collaborates with IMD under Mission Mausam initiative for development and deployment of AI-powered weather forecasting systems. Joint systems include block-level monsoon forecasting covering 3,196 blocks and high-resolution rainfall forecast for Uttar Pradesh.
• National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIITM works jointly with NCMRWF on AI-driven weather forecast products including the 1-km resolution rainfall forecast for Uttar Pradesh and AI-enabled monsoon forecasting system covering 16 states and over 3,000 sub-districts.
• India Meteorological DepartmentcoreTechnology or IntegrationIITM developed Air Quality Early Warning System that feeds into the broader national air quality monitoring and forecasting network managed by IMD and related agencies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Tomorrow.io (formerly ClimaCell): Commercial weather intelligence platform using proprietary sensing, AI models, and APIs; an example of how private players productize forecasting that IITM delivers as a public good.
• Skymet Weather: India's largest private weather forecasting company serving agri, aviation, and enterprise customers; demonstrates the commercial model that IITM is structurally unable to pursue.
• Max Planck Institute for Meteorology: Research-focused institute publishing foundational work on climate dynamics and Earth system modeling; comparable in scientific output rather than operational mandate.

Broad incumbents

• UK Met Office: National meteorological service combining operational forecasting with atmospheric research (Hadley Centre); comparable in scale and scientific mandate to IITM, though globally commercialized.
• Bureau of Meteorology (Australia): National weather, climate, and water agency operating research infrastructure and operational forecasting; peer in providing aviation (SkyCast-equivalent), agricultural, and disaster early-warning services.
• European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF): Intergovernmental organization producing global numerical weather predictions; IITM's AI monsoon system explicitly integrates ECMWF's AI Forecasting System. Closest international peer in NWP/AI forecasting research.
• China Meteorological Administration: National meteorological agency operating Doppler radar networks, AI forecasting, and severe weather early warning comparable to IITM; the closest scale-equivalent government peer in Asia.
• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR): US federally funded atmospheric research center combining modeling, observational testbeds, and supercomputing. Directly comparable in research mandate, testbed operations, and government-funded model.

Direct peers

• India Meteorological Department (IMD): India's primary operational forecasting agency under MoES; co-develops AI-based forecasts and seasonal/extended-range products with IITM. Closest domestic counterpart in mandate and customer base.
• National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF): Sister MoES autonomous institute jointly developing AI-driven rainfall forecasts (HSRRF, AI monsoon system). Shares Mission Mausam funding pool with IITM and operates overlapping numerical modeling capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iitmpune
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqMgELN9Y-6v9X9k9N8Y1Xw
• Facebookfacebook.com/iitmpuneofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iitm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology