India Launches World Highest Resolution Weather Model
In a groundbreaking move to boost India’s climate resilience and disaster preparedness, the Government of India on May 26 launched the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS), the world’s most precise weather forecasting model.
Developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune with support from the Ministry of Earth Sciences, BFS marks a global leap in hyperlocal weather prediction, particularly for tropical regions. Equipped with a grid resolution of 6 km—twice as detailed as the previous 12 km model—BFS surpasses leading global systems such as the European ECMWF, US GFS, and UK Met Office, which operate at 9–14 km resolution. This advance is made possible by Arka, India’s latest weather-dedicated supercomputer. With a speed of 11.77 petaflops and a massive storage capacity of 33 petabytes, Arka slashes weather forecast generation time from 10 hours (under the Pratyush system) to just four. Launched by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, BFS empowers India to deliver near real-time weather forecasts—known as nowcasting—with a two-hour lead time. It integrates data from 40 Doppler weather radars, a network soon to be expanded to 100, ensuring more accurate and timely alerts.
The high-resolution forecasts will directly benefit key sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, urban planning, and water resource optimisation. Farmers will receive better crop advisories, cities can better prepare for heatwaves or floods, and emergency services will have faster access to accurate weather warnings. Covering the entire Indian mainland and the broader tropical zone from 30°N to 30°S, the BFS offers India a robust and self-reliant weather intelligence system. Developed under the leadership of scientist Parthasarathy Mukhopadhyay, it positions India as a global leader in weather modelling for tropical climates, long considered difficult to forecast with accuracy. While the launch of BFS sets a new international benchmark, it also reflects India’s commitment to climate-smart governance. As extreme weather events grow more frequent and severe, tools like BFS are crucial in protecting lives, livelihoods, and city systems.
By integrating scientific innovation with public safety, India has taken a definitive step toward a more secure, climate-resilient future.
