Leading Indian climate scientists have cautioned that the nation has nearly lost its capacity to manufacture its own scientific instruments. This situation forces climate observations to rely on imported devices that frequently remain uncalibrated for extended periods. The result has been inaccurate data appearing in domestic and global publications, raising doubts about the reliability of Indian research.
The same report urges extended investigations into the climate impacts of rapid renewable energy expansion. It notes that the effects of large solar and wind facilities on weather patterns are still insufficiently studied.
These concerns were outlined in the Mega Science Vision-2035 report on climate research. Prepared by the Indian climate community with the Indian Institute of Science as the lead institution, the document was submitted to the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser and released earlier this week.
The instrument warning conflicts with official self-reliance goals. Rules requiring purchases through the Government e-Marketplace portal have created obstacles for institutions seeking specialized high-standard equipment. Vendors often cannot meet technical needs, while international tenders involve lengthy approval processes. Recent policy adjustments now permit certain bodies to avoid the portal and authorize global tenders up to a set limit.
India is already experiencing climate change effects including stronger heatwaves, irregular rainfall, and faster glacier loss in the Himalayas. These trends require accurate, properly maintained measurements.
The vision exercise, previously applied to nuclear and physics fields, was extended for the first time to climate, ecology, and astronomy. It drew input from thousands of researchers and expert panels before final review.
The report stresses it reflects community priorities rather than official policy. On energy, it calls for methods to calculate the social cost of carbon and apply polluter-pays approaches while protecting vulnerable groups. It supports continued renewable growth but recommends research on long-term ecological consequences.
Additional priorities include developing an original Earth system model, improving clean energy and carbon storage studies, linking environmental and health data, and training experts to convey findings to policymakers. Eight major projects covering observatories, satellites, sensors, and adaptation research are proposed through 2035 at an estimated cost of around 795 crore rupees under modest funding growth.
