IIT Madras partners with Finnish Meteorological Institute to launch VAYYU climate research center

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Finnish Meteorological Institute to establish VAYYU, a virtual research center focused on aerosol meteorology, Himalayan cryosphere processes, and urban air quality.

The center will study how aerosols affect regional hydro climate, glacier and snow melt in the Himalayas, and pollution levels in major Indian cities.

The collaboration will use advanced atmospheric modeling and observational systems to generate data for climate risk assessment and policy planning.

Welcoming the partnership, IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti said, "Climate change and monitoring is the most important area to be investigated in a global platform. It is very heartening to note that IIT Madras will partner with Finnish Meteorological Institute in this very important topic."

FMI Director General Petteri Taalas said, "I am pleased to strengthen our collaboration with IIT Madras through this MoU, building on three years of joint work on Himalayan aerosols to address challenges of importance to India and the wider world."

The initiative builds on ongoing joint projects between the two institutions. One of them, CryoSCOPE, is funded by the European Union, SERI Switzerland, and India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences, with an investment of about €10 million.

The project operates a monitoring site in Kargil to examine how atmospheric particles influence glacier melt and extreme weather patterns.

Another project, CO ENHANCIN, supported by the Research Council of Finland, has led to the creation of an urban observatory at IIT Madras worth about ₹5 crore.

The Chennai-based facility is equipped with aerosol analyzers, atmospheric chemistry instruments, and remote sensing systems to study pollution, cloud formation, and local weather dynamics.

Indian Ambassador to Finland Hemant H Kotalwar said, "The India-Finland collaboration through VAYYU marks a significant milestone in bilateral science diplomacy, bridging IIT Madras' modelling prowess with FMI's climate expertise to tackle aerosol-driven risks to our monsoons and urban health.”

“This virtual center will empower Indian researchers with cutting-edge tools for predictive hydro-meteorology and air quality management, strengthening our shared vision for sustainable development,” Kotalwar added.

Finland’s Ambassador to India Kimmo Lahdevirta said, "This partnership exemplifies Finland's commitment to collaborative climate science, leveraging FMI's world-class expertise in aerosol dynamics and weather prediction to address pressing challenges in South Asia. VAYYU will foster innovation in modelling aerosol impacts on monsoons and air quality, paving the way for joint policies that enhance regional resilience."

Explaining the scientific objective, IIT Madras professor Chandan Sarangi said, "Currently, our understanding of pollution–climate coupling remains uncertain. This center aims to bring together complementary expertise and coordinated efforts to improve coupled climate–chemistry modeling over India, thereby improving estimates of aerosol–climate impacts and strengthening our understanding of meteorology–air quality interactions, particularly over Indian megacities."

Rakesh K Hooda of FMI said, "Looking ahead, VAYYU will develop ambitious multilateral and bilateral joint research proposals aligned with India’s scientific and technological priorities in weather forecasting, air quality prediction, and last-mile impact to meet the SDGs."

The collaboration will also support student and faculty exchanges, joint research proposals, and training programs in atmospheric science and climate modeling.