IITM Pune Hosts First CSSIF Climate Services Consultation

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, which works under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, held the first Stakeholder Consultation Meeting of the Climate Science into Services for India Forum (CSSIF) on its campus on 17 October 2026. More than 150 participants from over 80 institutions across several states attended, drawn from central ministries, operational agencies, research bodies, universities, non-governmental organisations, civil society and private companies.

The question before the forum

The consultation asked how research on the climate can be turned into services people and governments actually use. The technical session took up weather and climate products made at IITM, the models and datasets behind them, and the case for building a Climate Services Information System (CSIS) for the country.

Who spoke

Sector-wise groups

Breakout groups worked on water resources and hydrology, on agriculture and food security, and on disaster management and risk reduction. Others took up health with a focus on climate extremes such as heavy rain, heat and wildfires; energy and finance, covering the shift to renewable power, insurance and economic risk; and climate projections and services, covering marine heatwaves, ocean productivity, coastal vulnerability and ways of turning observations into services. Users set out the climate information they need and the difficulties they face, while learning what IITM's datasets and products can already supply. Participants came from the India Meteorological Department, Naval Headquarters, the National Disaster Response Force, the Reserve Bank of India, INCOIS, NCPOR, ICAR institutes, state disaster management authorities and municipal bodies. The recommendations from the meeting will guide the forum's continuing work.