India losing ability to build climate instruments, scientists warn

India has nearly lost the capacity to build its own scientific instruments, leaving climate observations reliant on imported equipment that often goes uncalibrated for years, according to a report by leading climate scientists. This has led to incorrect data being published in national and international journals, raising questions about the credibility of Indian science. The warning comes in the Mega Science Vision-2035 report on Climate Research, submitted to the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser.

The report also calls for long-term studies on the climate effects of the uncontrolled growth of renewable energy installations, noting that the impacts of large solar and wind plants remain poorly understood. It recommends devising a method to estimate the social cost of carbon and implementing a polluter-pays principle, while offsetting effects on the poor. However, it emphasises that renewables should be prioritised to sustain the momentum of the last five years.

The report proposes eight mega projects costing Rs 795 crore to Rs 1,359 crore, including indigenous sensors, observatories, and an Earth System Model built from first principles. It flags gaps in clean energy research, integration of environmental and health data, and climate communication training. The document is a community roadmap, not a government policy statement.