PUNE, India, 26 January 2026 – The Italian CMCC Foundation – Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, a leading global centre for climate research, and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) signed a collaboration on research topics related to advancing climate modelling using AI. This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aims to establish institutional collaborative links between IITM and CMCC to mutual benefit, by fostering interest-led research collaborations at the highest quality standards.

The signature of the MoU follows a series of meetings, the latest of which was attended by Antonio Navarra, CMCC President; Suryachandra A. Rao, IITM Director; and scientists Drs. Swapna, Suvarna, Sabin, and Sandeep from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune.

The MoU formalises a partnership involving initiatives for exchange and interaction between the research teams of the two institutes.

In February 2025, for example, leading scientists from India and Italy met in Pune for a joint workshop on “Machine Learning Applications in Climate and Ocean Science” to explore opportunities related to the use of AI in the field of advanced climate modelling,  improve predictive capabilities, and develop innovative solutions for climate resilience. This workshop, jointly organised by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India and the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC), aimed to strengthen collaborations among research institutions and global leaders in climate research and machine learning applications.

The international workshop served as a milestone in fostering interdisciplinary research between Italy and India to enhance predictive capabilities and develop innovative approaches to weather and climate.

This MoU will pave the way for future Italy-India collaborations, including the establishment of joint working groups and the drafting of a white paper on the role of ML in climate science. It will be instrumental in advancing climate modelling and research using AI, enhancing predictive capabilities, and developing innovative solutions for climate resilience.

The signing of the MoU during the meeting in Pune, India

Cover image by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash