Bharat Forecasting System Launches: India’s New High-Resolution Weather Model Promises Greater Accuracy for Extreme Weather Events
India launched the Bharat Forecasting System on May 26, 2025 — a high-resolution weather model promising better forecasts for extreme weather events.

On May 26, 2025, India took a major leap forward in meteorological science with the launch of the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS) — a state-of-the-art high-resolution weather model developed to significantly improve the accuracy of short- and medium-term weather forecasts, particularly for extreme events like cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and heavy rainfall.
Backed by cutting-edge computing infrastructure and global collaborations, the BFS is expected to revolutionize India’s weather prediction capabilities. The model was unveiled by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in New Delhi, marking a new chapter in India's preparedness for climate challenges.
What is the Bharat Forecasting System?
The Bharat Forecasting System is an indigenous weather prediction model that replaces the older, coarser models used previously. Developed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), BFS offers a horizontal resolution of 12 km — putting it on par with some of the most advanced global models like ECMWF and the US GFS.
The model assimilates vast volumes of real-time satellite, radar, and surface observation data to provide detailed, high-resolution forecasts. Unlike its predecessors, the BFS is powered by multi-core supercomputers and employs ensemble forecasting, which means it runs multiple simulations to offer a probabilistic view of upcoming weather conditions.
Why BFS Matters: Enhanced Accuracy & Localized Forecasts
One of the major advantages of the Bharat Forecasting System is its ability to capture mesoscale phenomena — weather events that occur over areas as small as a few kilometers. This means that BFS can now provide more precise forecasts at the district and sub-district level, which is crucial for a geographically diverse country like India.
With climate change leading to more frequent and severe weather events, accurate forecasting is no longer just a convenience — it’s a necessity. The BFS will be particularly vital for:
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Disaster risk reduction and early warning systems
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Agriculture planning and food security
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Urban flood management
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Power grid and infrastructure resilience
According to MoES Secretary Dr. M. Ravichandran, “The BFS will drastically reduce false alarms and improve lead time for extreme weather forecasts. This is a milestone achievement for India's climate resilience strategy.”
Global Collaboration and Technical Excellence
The BFS is the result of years of research and collaboration with global scientific institutions such as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and NOAA’s Global Forecast System (GFS). By adopting dynamic core and physics-based modules, the system incorporates the latest scientific advancements in climate modeling.
India’s collaboration with ECMWF has been instrumental in training Indian scientists, exchanging data models, and enhancing algorithmic accuracy for BFS.
Real-World Applications and Immediate Benefits
The BFS has already been piloted during the 2024 monsoon season and showed marked improvements in forecasting heavy rainfall events across Kerala, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. The success of the pilot gave confidence to authorities to make a full-scale national deployment in May 2025.
Some anticipated benefits include:
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Improved cyclone tracking: BFS provides better estimation of cyclone landfall, intensity, and path.
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Localized heatwave alerts: The new model helps predict urban heat islands and rural temperature spikes with better lead times.
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Agricultural advisories: Through services like Meghdoot, farmers will receive more reliable weather advisories for sowing, irrigation, and harvesting.
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Urban management: Real-time predictions can now feed into city-level planning via platforms like Urban Observatories to manage drainage, transport, and energy demand.
Integration with India's Digital Infrastructure
The Bharat Forecasting System is also integrated with India's existing digital ecosystem:
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UMANG App: Citizens can access BFS-generated weather updates via the government’s UMANG platform.
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GIS Integration: Forecast outputs are layered over Bhuvan, India’s geospatial platform, for more contextual interpretation.
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Disaster dashboards: BFS data is shared with NDMA’s disaster dashboards and early warning systems to coordinate evacuation and relief efforts.
What Experts Are Saying
Climate experts and meteorologists across the globe have praised the BFS. Prof. R. Krishnan of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology noted in an interview with The Hindu that the system “represents India’s growing capacity in Earth system modeling, and its ability to develop global-scale models customized for regional climates.”
International disaster management experts believe the BFS can serve as a model for other developing nations seeking to build domestic capacity in climate services.
The Road Ahead: Future Upgrades and Expansion
The BFS is only the beginning. The Ministry of Earth Sciences plans to upgrade the model further to 6 km resolution by 2027. There is also an emphasis on integrating machine learning models and AI-based nowcasting systems for ultra-short-range predictions (0–3 hours).
In addition, public-private partnerships are being explored to commercialize weather data for sectors like aviation, shipping, logistics, and insurance — helping India build a weather-based economy rooted in accurate and timely information.
Final Thoughts
The launch of the Bharat Forecasting System on May 26, 2025, is not just a technological achievement — it's a proactive step in climate resilience, disaster mitigation, and economic planning. As India braces for more unpredictable weather patterns, the BFS stands as a shield forged from science, data, and collaboration.
With its ability to make weather forecasts more precise, localized, and actionable, the BFS has the potential to save lives, protect livelihoods, and future-proof India's response to the climate crisis.
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