As part of the World Meteorological Day celebrations, a METOC (Meteorological and Oceanographic) seminar, ‘Meghayan-24’ was conducted by School of Naval Oceanology & Meteorology (SNOM) and Indian Naval Meteorological Analysis Centre (INMAC) at Southern Naval Command on 28 March 2024.
The theme of the seminar for the year 2024 was in conformity with that promoted by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) for 2024: ‘At the Frontline of Climate Action’
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar delivered the inaugural address virtually and emphasized the importance of addressing climate change and working unitedly towards a climate-smart society under the global mandates of the WMO.
He also said, Indian Navy is committed to adopting sustainable policies and considering the integration of climate change into its security strategy.
Dr TVS Uday Bhaskar and Dr Raghavendra Ashit were the guest speakers in the seminar, they discussed the latest techniques adopted by the scientific agencies and climate data analysis to aid and enhance policy-making at the national level.
A panel discussion on the impact of the weather and climate change on naval operations was also conducted, with experts and specialist officers sharing their views on techniques used by the Indian Navy and Indian scientific organizations for providing METOC inputs and forecasts for operational issues.
During the event, a new Indian app called INDRA (Indian Naval Dynamic Resource for Weather Analysis) was launched. This app has been developed by BISAG (Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics), a scientific society under the Indian government. Its main goal is to work on technology development and management, research, international cooperation, and capacity building in the field of geospatial technology.
INDRA would be utilised by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Oceanology and Meteorology and aims to disseminate weather related information and forecasts empowering optimal & quick decision making.
Team Bharatshakti
