India Launches Bharat Forecasting System: The World’s Most Advanced Weather Supercomputer

India has launched the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS), the world's most precise weather forecasting model, on May 26, 2025. Developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, BFS operates on a 6-kilometer grid, doubling the resolution of previous models and surpassing global standards set by the US, UK, and EU, which range between 9 to 14 km. The system is powered by 'Arka', a high-performance supercomputer with a computational capacity of 11.77 petaflops and 33 petabytes of storage. Arka reduces forecast processing time from 10 hours to just 4 hours, enabling timely and accurate weather predictions. BFS integrates data from 40 Doppler Weather Radars, with plans to expand to 100, enhancing real-time monitoring and short-term forecasts known as nowcasts. The system also utilizes satellite data from INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR, providing comprehensive atmospheric observations. This advancement is expected to significantly improve forecasts for monsoons, cyclones, floods, and droughts, benefiting sectors like agriculture, disaster management, and aviation. The BFS represents a major step forward in India's scientific and technological capabilities in climate prediction. Subscribe for more educational content and unlock knowledge every day with FactTechz!