In a groundbreaking development for India’s meteorological capabilities, the Indian government has officially launched the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS) — now recognized as the world’s highest-resolution weather prediction model, capable of delivering highly localized forecasts with a 6-kilometre grid precision.
The new system was introduced on Monday, May 26, 2025, during a formal ceremony in New Delhi by Union Earth Sciences Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. Describing the BFS as a “leap in India’s self-reliance in atmospheric science,” he said the system would play a key role in enhancing public safety, disaster preparedness, agriculture planning, and water resource management.
Powered by India’s Fastest Weather Supercomputer: Arka
At the heart of this technological breakthrough is ‘Arka’, India’s newest supercomputer, installed last year at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune. Arka has an impressive computational power of 11.77 petaflops and 33 petabytes of storage capacity. Thanks to this, weather models that previously took 10 hours to run on the earlier supercomputer ‘Pratyush’, now take just four hours.
Parthasarathy Mukhopadhyay, one of the leading scientists behind the model, emphasized the importance of speed in modern forecasting. “Faster data crunching means quicker warnings — and that saves lives,” he told PTI.
What Makes BFS a Global Leader?
The BFS operates on a 6 km × 6 km grid, which is currently the highest resolution for any operational weather model in the world. In comparison:
The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) runs at 9 km resolution
The UK Met Office at 10 km
And the US National Weather Service at approximately 13–14 km
This improved resolution means BFS can now deliver more accurate and granular predictions, especially in weather-sensitive sectors like farming and disaster management. According to Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, this will allow the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to provide forecasts right down to the panchayat level.
Real-Time Data from Doppler Radars
To feed the BFS, India currently utilizes data from 40 Doppler Weather Radars scattered across the country. Plans are underway to expand this network to 100 radars, enabling the BFS to offer “nowcasts” — short-term, ultra-local forecasts up to two hours ahead — covering the entire nation.
This expansion is vital for dealing with rapidly developing weather anomalies, including thunderstorms, cloudbursts, and flash floods.
A Timely Move Amid Climate-Driven Uncertainty
The launch of the BFS could not have come at a more critical time. Over the past few years, India has experienced a worrying surge in extreme weather events, directly affecting agriculture, economy, and food security.
The Economic Survey 2025 cited research from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), revealing that crop damage in 2024 due to weather events was significantly higher than previous years. Meanwhile, IMD data shows a sharp rise in the frequency of heatwaves, which occurred on 18% of days between 2022 and 2024, up from just 5% in 2020–2021.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in its latest bulletin, echoed similar concerns, noting that temperature anomalies are impacting vegetable prices and calling for climate-resilient crop development.
A Tool for India’s Agricultural and Economic Resilience
As India pushes toward climate resilience and food price stability, the BFS is expected to be a cornerstone in this transformation. The Economic Survey has already recommended stronger data systems and reduced post-harvest losses. Now, with the BFS in place, experts believe that India is better equipped to translate this data into action.
By offering forecasts for the tropical belt from 30° South to 30° North, the BFS not only strengthens domestic capabilities but also puts India on the global map as a serious player in climate prediction and weather science.
The Bharat Forecasting System marks a bold step forward for India’s meteorological infrastructure. By fusing cutting-edge computing with a growing network of Doppler radars, BFS has the potential to mitigate risks, empower farmers, and stabilize food prices in a time of climate uncertainty.
