Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO in Paris Vishal V. Sharma during his visit to INCOIS on Monday. Seen here are INCOIS Director TM Balakrishnan Nair and Senior Scientist E. Pattabhi Ramarao. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO in Paris, Vishal V. Sharma visited India’s National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) here and endorsed the idea of developing a dedicated space-based ocean observation satellite for the region along with expanding training opportunities for young researchers in the field.
He inspected its SynOps (Synergistic Ocean Observation and Prediction System) laboratory, which provides tsunami early warning and ocean forecasting for India as well as countries in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Islands. He later addressed INCOIS scientists after Director TM Balakrishnan Nair and senior scientists Pattabhi Ramarao and Sudhir Joseph briefed him about the institute’s functions and initiatives.
INCOIS serves as the nodal authority for tsunami early warning and disaster risk reduction preparedness. It also functions as a regional tsunami service provider and international training center under UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
Founded in 1960, UNESCO’s International Olympic Committee is the only UN body with an exclusive mandate for ocean science, promoting international cooperation in oceanography and transforming scientific knowledge into services that protect lives, livelihoods and the marine environment. Mr. Sharma was also instrumental in coordinating last month’s visit to INCOIS by Vidar Helgesen, head of the IOC at UNESCO and former foreign minister of Norway, a press release said.
Published – 15 Dec 2025 23:58 IST
