Lok Sabha Question No. 2339 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-30
Subject: GPS Radiosondes
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: VIKRAM USENDI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2339 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016

## GPS RADIOSONDES

## 2339. SHRI VIKRAM USENDI

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether India Meteorological Department (IMD) has purchased/ procured a technology for manufacturing GPS radiosondes in their own workshop under Make in India Project in the year 2011;
- (b)
- if so, the details and the current status of the project;
- (c) whether  IMD  has  also  purchased  the  components  involving  crores  of rupees to manufacture GPS radiosondes under Make in India policy;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  number  of  radiosondes  made  under the said project till date and if not, the reasons therefor along with the details of persons responsible in this regard; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  this  regard  along  with  the measures taken to stop the purchase of imported radiosondes?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)

- (a-b)  No Madam.India Meteorological Department (IMD) funded a project for the  development  of  indigenous  technology  for  GPS  radiosondes  to Society  for  Applied  Microwave  Electronics  Engineering  &  Research (SAMEER),  an  autonomous  society  under  Department  of  Electronics, Government of India. After successful demonstration of the development,  the  developed  technology  is  available  for  production subject to cost benefit analysis involving cost of production, costs of sensor calibration facilities set up in-house and internationally competitive price scenario keeping in mind the overall requirement of radiosondes  for  operational  upper  air  data  acquisition  from  over  50 stations(twice  a  day)  all  through  the  year  more  so  keeping  in  mind annual production capacity of about 4000-5000 in IMDs workshop.
- (c-d)  Although, some of the components have been procured, the feasibility for manufacturing GPS radiosondes in IMD workshop is not economically viable in view of the very small quantum of sondesbeing produced  out  of the overall 36000  required for the  whole  year observations.

So  far  to  test  and  evaluate  the  quality  of  upper  air  data, 50  GPS radiosondes have been only made in workshop with quality/calibration support from m/s SAMEER. Test results were found to be satisfactory but bulk production is not contemplated due to the fact that additional calibration facilities need to be set up that further enhances the cost of production as compared to other indigenous options available from 3-4 certified vendors within India currently became possible with IMDs handholding.

Instead, GPS based pilot wind sondes can definitely be produced using the indigenous technology developed in workshop where in no additional  sensor  calibration  facilities  for  temperature  and  moisture measurements  need  to  be  set  up  and  thereby  avoiding  additional investments  all  together.   By  doing  so,  many  of  the  components already  procured  can  also  be  put  to  use  while  producing  pilot  wind sondes.  IMD  needs  to  make  pilot  wind  measurements  from  about  60 stations daily all through the year (twice a day) also in addition to GPS radiosonde measurements.

- (e) IMD had floated rate contract tender to procure GPS radiosondes for the  year  2017-18  requirements  that  is  open  both  for  indigenous  and foreign  manufacturers.  As  the  whole  of  the  required  quantum  of sondescan not be supplied by a single   vendor, India needs to support indigenous development of radio/pilot wind sondes notwithstanding to the small quantum of sonde production capacity in IMD workshop.

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