IITM Pune to set up climate observation station in Bikaner

On February 20, IITM signed a MoU with Bikaner Technical University to promote collaborative research on climate change and sustained observations of critical climate variables

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, will establish a dedicated climate observation station in Bikaner as part of the Bharat Climate Observation Network (BCON), a national initiative aimed at generating long-term, high-quality climate datasets to strengthen frontline climate research in India.

The initiative is aimed at generating long-term, high-quality climate datasets to strengthen frontline climate research in India. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

On February 20, IITM signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bikaner Technical University to promote collaborative research on climate change and sustained observations of critical climate variables. The MoU was signed by IITM director A Suryachandra Rao and vice-chancellor Akhil Ranjan Garg during an online ceremony.

Suvarna Fadnavis, project director at the Centre for Climate Change Research (CCCR), IITM, said that the high-accuracy datasets generated through BCON would play a crucial role in validating and benchmarking earth system models. These include India’s first Earth System Model, the IITM-ESM, also known as Bharat Forecast. “This will enable more accurate simulations of the Indian climate system and significantly enhance future climate projections,” she said.

BCON has been conceived as a long-term, high-precision observational framework designed to systematically measure key climate variables across India. These include meteorological parameters, greenhouse gases, trace gases, and short-lived climate forcers.

The MoU with SRTMU was signed on February 11, 2026. Earlier, on February 6, IITM formalised a similar agreement with SLIET.