Climate services for India took a step forward on October 17, 2026, when the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune held the first stakeholder consultation of the Climate Science into Services for India Forum (CSSIF). According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release, the meeting brought together more than 150 participants from over 80 institutions to discuss how climate science can be turned into practical information for decision-makers. IITM works under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). This article is based on that official release.
What the climate services for India forum set out to do
The PIB release says the consultation focused on the role of climate science in developing relevant climate services, and on strengthening how weather and climate information is applied across sectors.
The release describes the meeting as the beginning of sustained engagement under CSSIF, aimed at “scientifically robust, user-oriented and sector-relevant” climate information and services for India. IITM Director Dr. A. Suryachandra Rao gave the welcome address, and Prof. V. K. Dadhwal, former Director of IIST, was chief guest.
Who took part in the climate services consultation
The participants came from government ministries and departments, operational agencies, research and academic institutions, NGOs, civil society and the private sector. According to the release, the list included the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Reserve Bank of India, the National Institute of Virology and ICAR institutes.
State-level bodies were also named, including State Disaster Management Authorities and climate change cells or centres from Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Assam. Universities and NGOs such as Christian Medical College Vellore and The Nature Conservancy India took part as well.
Sector discussions and the proposed Climate Services Information System
The technical session included an introductory talk by Dr. Rupa Kumar Kolli, former Chief of the World Meteorological Organization’s Climate Applications and Services Division, on the need for a Climate Services Information System (CSIS) for the nation. The release gives no design or timeline for such a system; it reports that the need was discussed.
Participants then split into thematic breakout groups. According to the release, these covered:
- Water resources and hydrology
- Agriculture and food security
- Disaster management and risk reduction, with a focus on extremes such as precipitation, heat and wildfires
- Energy and finance, including the renewable energy transition, insurance and economic risk assessment
- Climate projections and services, covering marine heatwaves, marine productivity and coastal vulnerability
The release’s highlights also mention a health group with a special focus on the impact of climate extremes. Stakeholders spoke about their information needs, operational challenges and expectations, and learned more about IITM’s climate research, datasets and products.
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What is not yet known about this climate services effort
This was a first consultation, and the release is a summary of a meeting rather than a launch of a product. It says that key recommendations will “help strengthen the interface between climate science, services, policy and societal needs”, but it does not list those recommendations. It also does not say when the next meeting will be held or how the forum will be funded.
The release also does not describe how data would be shared, secured or accessed. That is not a criticism; it is simply an open detail at a very early stage.
My view on climate services for India
As a writer, I feel the most useful part of this announcement is the guest list. Climate information is only useful if the people who act on it can understand and trust it, and a room with disaster managers, a central bank, health institutes, state agencies and NGOs is a sensible place to ask what they need. At the same time, a first meeting is a starting point. The real test will be whether the recommendations become services people can easily use. I would be glad to see follow-up updates from IITM and MoES.
FAQ: climate services for India
What is the Climate Science into Services for India Forum?
According to the PIB release, it is a forum organised by IITM Pune under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Its first stakeholder consultation was held on October 17, 2026 to connect climate science with practical, sector-relevant services.
Who attended the first consultation?
More than 150 participants from over 80 institutions, including government ministries, operational agencies such as IMD and NDRF, research and academic bodies, NGOs, civil society and the private sector.
Has a national Climate Services Information System been set up?
Not according to the release. It reports a talk on the need for such a system for the nation, but it does not give a design, timeline or funding details.