Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the SkyCast system, India’s first integrated aviation weather monitoring facility, at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on May 30, 2026. This advanced system makes India the 19th country in the world to deploy integrated remote-sensing technology for real-time aviation nowcasting. Launched under the ambitious Mission Mausam, the initiative marks a significant leap in enhancing flight safety by providing precise data on critical weather hazards like fog and wind shear.
India’s First ‘SkyCast’ System: An Overview
The SkyCast system is a state-of-the-art Integrated Aviation Weather Monitoring System (IAWMS) designed to provide high-resolution, real-time atmospheric data. Unlike traditional weather stations that primarily measure surface-level conditions, SkyCast utilizes a suite of advanced remote-sensing instruments to profile the atmosphere continuously. The system was developed under the aegis of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
With this launch, India has joined an elite group of nations, becoming the 19th country globally to implement such sophisticated aviation-focused weather intelligence. Similar systems are currently operational at major global aviation hubs such as London’s Heathrow Airport, New York’s JFK International Airport, and Singapore’s Changi Airport. The primary goal of SkyCast is to minimize flight delays, cancellations, and diversions caused by adverse weather conditions, which have historically impacted Indian aviation during the winter fog season.
Technical Architecture and Sensing Capabilities
The SkyCast system at IGI Airport is powered by a network of specialized sensors that work in tandem to create a digital twin of the atmosphere. These instruments allow for thermodynamic profiling and wind measurements that were previously unavailable in real-time.
| Instrument | Function and Monitoring Role |
|---|---|
| Radar Wind Profiler (RWP) | Measures wind speed and direction at multiple altitudes to detect turbulence. |
| Microwave Profiling Radiometer (MPR) | Provides continuous profiles of temperature, humidity, and liquid water content. |
| SODAR | Uses sound waves to detect low-level wind shear and boundary layer structures. |
| Lidar Ceilometer | Emits laser pulses to measure cloud base height, fog density, and aerosols. |
| Fog Aerosol Spectrometer (GFAS) | Analyzes the size and concentration of droplets to predict fog evolution. |
Monitoring the 3 km Boundary Layer
While the SkyCast system has the capability to profile the atmosphere up to an altitude of 10 km, its high-resolution monitoring is primarily focused on the lowest 3 km, known as the atmospheric boundary layer. This region is critical for aviation as it is where all take-offs, approaches, and landings occur.
The system generates automated nowcasts, or short-term forecasts, that are updated every five minutes. These updates provide a rolling three-hour window of weather intelligence, allowing Air Traffic Control (ATC) and pilots to make informed decisions about runway usage and flight scheduling. By detecting wind shear (sudden changes in wind speed or direction) and inversions early, the system significantly reduces the risk of accidents during the most vulnerable phases of flight.
Mission Mausam: Building a ‘Weather Ready’ Nation
The deployment of SkyCast is a flagship project under Mission Mausam, which was approved by the Union Cabinet in September 2024 with a total financial outlay of ₹2,000 crore. The mission aims to transform India into a “Weather Ready” and “Climate Smart” nation by exponentially improving its observation, modeling, and forecasting capabilities.
Administered by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Mission Mausam is implemented by three primary nodal agencies:
- India Meteorological Department (IMD): Responsible for operational weather services and dissemination.
- Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM): Focuses on climate research and advanced modeling.
- National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF): Handles data assimilation and seamless prediction models.
The mission seeks to move from a 12 km to a 6 km horizontal resolution for forecasting models, enabling hyper-local, village-level weather updates. By integrating AI and Machine Learning (ML) with next-generation satellites and radar networks, Mission Mausam aims to provide hourly updates for extreme weather events such as cyclones, heatwaves, and heavy rainfall.
Strategic Significance for Indian Aviation
The implementation of SkyCast carries immense strategic and economic weight for India’s rapidly growing aviation sector. Delhi’s IGI Airport is one of the busiest in the world, and adverse weather—particularly the dense winter fog—often leads to a ripple effect of delays across the national air network.
The system addresses several critical challenges:
- Economic Efficiency: By providing precise nowcasts, airlines can optimize fuel loads and reduce the massive costs associated with flight diversions and mid-air holding patterns.
- Operational Safety: Real-time detection of wind shear and microbursts, which are sudden and powerful downdrafts, is vital for preventing runway excursions during landing.
- Infrastructure Protection: As India invests billions in new airports, having reliable weather intelligence ensures that these national assets can operate at peak capacity even during marginal weather.
The Way Forward: Expanding to Jewar Airport
The inauguration at the Indira Gandhi International Airport marks the beginning of a phased rollout of integrated aviation weather systems across India. The government has already confirmed that the second SkyCast facility will be established at the Jewar Airport (Noida International Airport) in Uttar Pradesh. This expansion is part of the larger goal of Mission Mausam to equip all major “Category I” airports in the country with advanced atmospheric profiling tools by 2030.
As India moves into the second phase of Mission Mausam (planned for 2026–2031), the focus will shift toward integrating these ground-based sensors with a new constellation of meteorological satellites. This “all-weather” intelligence framework is expected to set a new global benchmark for aviation safety and climate resilience.
Key Takeaways
- India’s first SkyCast system was inaugurated at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on May 30, 2026.
- India has become the 19th country in the world to implement this advanced integrated aviation weather monitoring technology.
- The system was developed under Mission Mausam, a Union Cabinet-approved initiative with a financial outlay of ₹2,000 crore.
- SkyCast provides real-time atmospheric data for the lowest 3 km (boundary layer), with nowcasts updated every five minutes.
- The project is administered by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and implemented by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
- A second SkyCast facility is planned to be established at the Jewar Airport in Uttar Pradesh.
