Published: Science Reporter, June 2026 (Indian S&T Breakthroughs feature)
The June issue’s most exam-relevant feature profiles INCOIS (Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services), the Hyderabad-based autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and its upgraded SAMUDRA mobile platform that turns ocean science into a daily tool for coastal communities.
What SAMUDRA 2.0 Delivers
| Service | What it does |
|---|---|
| Hazard alerts | Real-time tsunami, storm surge, high wave and swell-surge warnings |
| Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories | Guides fishermen to fish-aggregation zones, cutting fuel and search time |
| Tuna advisories | Added in SAMUDRA 2.0 for deep-sea fishers |
| Small-vessel alerts | Safety warnings calibrated for smaller boats |
The 2026 upgrade is available in eight coastal languages and serves roughly 8 lakh fishermen and coastal stakeholders.
The Wider INCOIS Stack
- ITEWS (Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre), hosted at INCOIS, is a Regional Tsunami Service Provider for the Indian Ocean, serving 25+ nations
- SIVAS (Swell-Surge Inundation Vulnerability Advisory System), piloted for the Kerala coast, forecasts the “kallakkadal” swell-surge floods that strike without local weather warning
- JellyAIIP, a jellyfish-aggregation portal, helps fishers and coastal power plants avoid swarms
Mains Angle
Why it matters: INCOIS is a case study in science-as-public-service: the same physical oceanography that powers tsunami warnings also raises fisher incomes through PFZ advisories, linking disaster management, the blue economy and livelihood security. Way forward: integrate SAMUDRA with the fishers’ KCC and insurance rails so a swell-surge alert can trigger a no-go-day compensation, and extend SIVAS beyond Kerala to the full kallakkadal-prone coast.
📌 Facts Corner — Knowledgepedia
INCOIS:
- Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services; Ministry of Earth Sciences; Hyderabad
- Hosts the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWS), a Regional Tsunami Service Provider
Platforms:
- SAMUDRA 2.0 (2026): hazard alerts + PFZ + tuna + small-vessel alerts; 8 coastal languages; ~8 lakh users
- SIVAS: swell-surge (kallakkadal) advisory, Kerala pilot; JellyAIIP: jellyfish aggregation
- World Environment Day June 5; World Day of the Oceans June 8
Sources: Science Reporter / CSIR-NIScPR, INCOIS
