From Norway, the Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center (NERSC) and the University of Bergen (UoB), both in Bergen, will be participating. On the Indian side, the INCOIS, the Nansen Environmental Research Centre-India (NERCI), Kochi, will be involved.

According to a press release from INCOIS, the development and validation work of the TOPAZ Indian Ocean Forecasting System will progress jointly in Bergen, Kochi and Hyderabad. The goal is to ensure that the system be used operationally at INCOIS.

Ocean forecasting encompasses the capability to forecast parameters such as fish stock, state of the ocean, tsunami, sea surface temperatures etc., for the societal and economic benefit. The INCOIS, under the Ministry of Ocean Development has been building various capabilities, including a Tsunami Early Warning System.

The Mohn-Svendrup Centre for Global Ocean Studies and Operational Oceanography at NERSC in Bergen has been developing the operations of TOPAZ ocean forecasting and data assimilation system for the past 10 years. It is operational in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

The Nansen Scientific Society in Bergen has supported the cooperation through donations to support scientists for studies. INCOIS is also providing support for some scientists.

The agreement is expected to be the foundation for an extensive scientific cooperation, and exchange of scientists and research scholars in the coming years.