Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates India’s first 'SkyCast' System at IGI Airport New Delhi; says India enters a new era of fog-free, weather-smart aviation

I have enough facts. Writing the note now.

SkyCast System — IGI Airport, New Delhi

1. At a Glance

• SkyCast is India's first integrated aviation weather intelligence system providing real-time fog, turbulence, visibility and atmospheric data to pilots at IGI Airport, New Delhi [S1].
• Inaugurated by Union Minister of State (I/C) Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh on 29 May 2026; makes India the 19th country globally to deploy such a system [S1].
• Developed under Mission Mausam (Ministry of Earth Sciences); leverages indigenous R&D from IITM/IMD's Winter Fog Experiment (WiFEX) running at IGI since 2015 [S1].
• Relevant for UPSC themes of S&T, disaster mitigation (fog-related accidents), and India's climate-services architecture.

2. Why in the News

• Inauguration of India's first SkyCast System and Fog Observatory at Glide Path 10, IGI Airport, New Delhi on 29 May 2026 [S1].
• Announcement that the next SkyCast facility will come up at Jewar (Noida International) Airport, followed by phased expansion to other airports [S1].

3. Background & Evolution

• 2015 — Winter Fog Experiment (WiFEX) initiated by IITM Pune and IMD at IGI Airport to study North Indian fog dynamics [S1].
• 11 September 2024 — Union Cabinet approves Mission Mausam with a ₹2,000 crore outlay (initial two-year phase); full mission runs in phases till 2031 [S2].
• 2024-26 — Mission Mausam deploys next-gen radars, Bharat Forecast System (IITM, indigenous high-resolution model) and HPC upgrades [S2].
• 29 May 2026 — Operationalisation of SkyCast as the aviation-sector deliverable of Mission Mausam [S1].

4. Core Static Facts

• Parent Ministry: Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) — not MoCA or DGCA [S1].
• Implementing bodies: India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM, Pune) [S1][S2].
• Parent programme: Mission Mausam (Cabinet-approved 11 Sep 2024; ₹2,000 cr; runs till 2031) [S2].
• Location of first install: Glide Path 10, Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, New Delhi [S1].
• Next site: Jewar (Noida International) Airport [S1].
• Atmospheric monitoring depth: up to 3 km vertical column [user excerpt/S1].
• Sensor stack:
• Radar Wind Profiler — vertical wind structure
• Ground-based Fog Aerosol Spectrometer
• CL61 Lidar-based Ceilometer — vertical fog structure & cloud base
• Visibility, turbulence, moisture sensors integrated [S1].
• Global rank: India = 19th country with such an integrated system [S1].
• Other Mission Mausam pillars: NCMRWF, expanded radar network, AI/ML models, Bharat Forecast System [S2].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Scientific / Technological - Integrates Lidar, radar profiler, aerosol spectrometer into a single decision-support framework — moves Indian aviation meteorology from forecast-only to nowcast + impact-based services [S1]. - Builds on WiFEX (2015) datasets — example of long-run basic research feeding into operational tech [S1].

Economic - Targets reduction in flight delays, diversions and cancellations during the Nov–Feb fog season — direct savings for airlines, passengers, cargo logistics [S1]. - Part of ₹2,000 crore Mission Mausam allocation; aligns with growth of Indian civil aviation (UDAN, new greenfield airports like Jewar) [S2].

Administrative / Governance - Cross-ministerial: MoES (data) ↔ MoCA/DGCA/AAI (operations); SkyCast supplies CAT-III ILS landing decisions with finer fog nowcasts [S1]. - Federal angle limited — civil aviation is a Union subject (Union List Entry 29) [general].

Environmental - Fog over IGP linked to aerosol loading (vehicular, biomass, stubble burning); fog aerosol spectrometer data can feed back into air-pollution policy [S1].

Strategic - Indigenous deployment in a domain dominated by US/EU systems; positions India alongside 18 advanced aviation-met nations [S1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 11 Sep 2024 — Cabinet approves Mission Mausam (₹2,000 cr) [S2].
• 2025 — IITM unveils Bharat Forecast System (BFS), indigenous high-resolution forecast model under Mission Mausam [S2].
• 2025-26 — Additional Doppler Weather Radars (incl. 4 in J&K) under Mission Mausam [S2].
• 29 May 2026 — SkyCast inaugurated at IGI; Jewar identified as next site [S1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• SkyCast inaugurated on 29 May 2026 at IGI Airport, New Delhi [S1].
• Inaugurated by Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS (I/C) for Earth Sciences and Science & Technology [S1].
• India = 19th country to operate such an integrated aviation-weather system [S1].
• Implementing ministry = Ministry of Earth Sciences (not MoCA) [S1].
• Developed under Mission Mausam, approved by Cabinet on 11 September 2024 with outlay ₹2,000 crore [S2].
• Mission Mausam executing agencies: IMD, IITM (Pune), NCMRWF (Noida) [S2].
• SkyCast monitors atmosphere up to 3 km altitude [user excerpt/S1].
• Sensors used: Radar Wind Profiler, Ground-based Fog Aerosol Spectrometer, CL61 Lidar Ceilometer [S1].
• Scientific base: Winter Fog Experiment (WiFEX), jointly run by IITM & IMD at IGI since 2015 [S1].
• Next SkyCast facility planned at Jewar (Noida International) Airport [S1].
• Mission Mausam delivers Bharat Forecast System — indigenous high-resolution forecast model by IITM [S2].
• Mission Mausam phased timeline till 2031 [S2].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III — Science & Technology (indigenisation, applications in daily life); Disaster Management (fog as transport hazard); Economy (aviation).
• GS-II — Government schemes (Mission Mausam).
• Question stems: 1. "Examine how Mission Mausam transforms India's weather services from forecast-centric to impact-based. Illustrate with SkyCast." (GS-III) 2. "Indigenous S&T missions are increasingly bridging research labs and operational sectors. Discuss with reference to recent MoES initiatives." (GS-III) 3. "Fog-related disruptions impose hidden costs on Indian aviation. Evaluate the institutional response." (GS-III)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Mission Mausam — parent umbrella programme [S2].
• Bharat Forecast System (BFS) — indigenous IITM model [S2].
• WiFEX & SAFAR — IITM fog and air-quality programmes.
• India Meteorological Department (IMD) — 150 years in 2025, organisational structure.
• NCMRWF — medium-range modelling.
• CAT-III ILS at IGI — operational fog response (DGCA/AAI angle).
• Doppler Weather Radar network expansion under Mission Mausam [S2].
• National Disaster Management Plan — weather hazards chapter.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• SkyCast is under MoES, not Ministry of Civil Aviation / DGCA / AAI.
• Mission Mausam outlay is ₹2,000 cr (not ₹20,000 cr); approved Sep 2024, not 2023.
• WiFEX (2015) ≠ SAFAR; WiFEX is fog-specific.
• India is the 19th country (not "first" globally) to deploy such an integrated system; "first in India" ≠ "first in world".
• IITM is at Pune, NCMRWF at Noida, IMD HQ at New Delhi — easy mix-up.

11. Sources

• [S1] Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates India's first 'SkyCast' System at IGI Airport, PIB — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2266638 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] Mission Mausam Unveiled: A ₹2,000 Crore initiative, PIB — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2054427 — (tier: 1)