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Ocean-atmosphere interactions in the North Indian Ocean play a vital role in the onset, progression and withdrawal of the Indian monsoon. This paper describes the Ocean Observation System (OOS), an operational observational programme of the Earth System Science Organization and the National Institute of Ocean Technology (ESSO-NIOT) under India's Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). Since 1997 it has provided oceanographic and surface meteorological data in real time for weather forecasting, climate research and several other applications. The programme focuses on understanding the phenomenon of the mean seasonal cycle of the Indian monsoon, the intra-seasonal to intra-decadal oscillations of air-sea interactions, trends that are related to tropical cyclones and the annual cycle balance in the exchange of waters between the two limbs of North Indian Ocean, i.e. the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. In situ observations are also used to develop, initialise and validate regional forecast models that provide high resolution data. There is also a growing need to understand the spatial phenomenon of oceans using satellite observations, wherein the quality of data needs to be validated and verified carefully. This paper also provides an overview of the scientific and societal impact of the Indian moored buoy network over two decades of operation. ARTICLE HISTORYHistorically, ocean surface measurements have been made via ships of opportunity, cargo vessels that sail the oceans to conduct maritime trade. These measurements were made for the safety of the ships' navigation,

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A pair of buoys (system), MET and OPTICAL, consisting of fully automated hyperspectral radiometers, fluorometer, and meteorological sensors, has been realized and deployed in deep ocean case-I site at Kavaratti in Lakshadweep, Arabian Sea, for preprogrammed in situ data collection and transmission via INSAT-3C satellite. The buoy of described configuration is capable of measuring in-water optical and biological parameters in an unattended manner for long-term time series with less vertical tilt. A robotic sun/sky photometer installed on KavarattiIsland simultaneously provides information on aerosols over the site. A combination of these parameters available hourly in real time throughout the day from unattended systems in the ocean as well as on island provides an ideal reference site. The paper reports recent collection of bio-optical marine observations over the site and use of the data for OCM-2 vicarious calibration and validation of geophysical products.