National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC)

The National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC) seeks to build a vibrant and dynamic knowledge system to inform and support national climate action. The Mission strengthens strategic knowledge in climate science, adaptation and mitigation through research, climate modelling, assessment of climate impacts and vulnerabilities, technology development, and human and institutional capacity building. It also serves as a cross-cutting support mission, generating strategic knowledge for the other NAPCC missions.

• Launched in 2014
• Nodal/Implementing: Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology.
• Research and knowledge infrastructure: As of July 2026, NMSKCC supports 18 Centres of Excellence, 28 Major R&D Programmes, 7 Network Programmes and 7 Capacity-Building Programmes.
• State-level capacity: As of July 2026, State Climate Change Cells are supported in 17 States and Union Territories for climate vulnerability and risk assessment, capacity building, awareness and science-based climate planning.
• Climate-risk assessment: A district-level assessment of flood and drought risks has been completed across 698 districts using an IPCC-aligned framework.
• Human capacity: Supports capacity building in climate science, adaptation and mitigation, including pre-doctoral and post-doctoral Climate Change Research Fellowships.
• Mission roadmap: Deliverables structured for 2021–26, 2026–31 and beyond 2031, covering Centres of Excellence, R&D Programmes, Network Programmes, State Climate Change Cells, human-capacity building and international cooperation.
• Monitoring: Mission implementation is monitored at least twice in a calendar year by an Expert-level Committee, supported by a dedicated Mission Cell in DST.
• Climate action: NMSKCC aligns its objectives and priorities with India’s NDC commitments, including strengthening knowledge networks, research, institutional and human capacities, adaptation capabilities and international collaboration in climate research and technology development.