India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar Inaugurated in Odisha

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, virtually inaugurated India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur, Odisha, in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on 16th September 2026. The new facility strengthens weather observation and early warning capabilities across Western Odisha and neighbouring regions.

India's Doppler Weather Radar Network Rises from 14 in 2014 to 51

Dr. Singh pointed out just how far India's radar infrastructure has come, from a mere 14 Doppler Weather Radars in 2014 to 51 today. That's a more than threefold jump in about a decade, reflecting a sustained government push to build stronger tools for tracking extreme weather events like thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.

Around 40 More Radars Planned Under Mission Mausam

The expansion isn't stopping here. Under Mission Mausam, roughly 40 additional radars are in the pipeline, which would eventually take India's total count to around 81. Odisha itself will see more additions soon, with radars planned for Balasore, Puri, and Bhubaneswar.

Sambalpur Radar to Strengthen Weather Monitoring Across Western Odisha

With Sambalpur now operational, Odisha has three Doppler Weather Radars in total, joining the ones already running at Gopalpur and Paradip. The Sambalpur unit fills a key observational gap, feeding better meteorological data not just to Western Odisha but also to parts of Southern Jharkhand, Northern Chhattisgarh, North Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal.

IMD Extends Weather and Early Warning Support to 13 Neighboring Countries

India's growing radar network isn't just a domestic asset anymore. As IMD marks its 150th anniversary, the department is now offering cyclone, flash-flood, and general weather forecasting support to 13 neighboring countries, a move Dr. Singh linked to India's "Neighbour First" and "Vishwa Bandhu Bharat" approach to regional cooperation.

India Building Multi-Layered Weather Observation Network for More Localized Forecasting

Radars alone aren't the whole story. The government is simultaneously rolling out automatic weather stations, rain gauges, radiosonde stations, and microwave radiometers across districts and even schools. The goal is a layered observation system that delivers hyper-local, actionable forecasts critical for agriculture, disaster management, and energy sectors that depend heavily on accurate weather information.