The Department of Ocean Development (DOD) was created in July 1981 as a part of the Cabinet Secretariat directly under the charge of the Prime Minister and came into existence as a separate Department in March 1982. The Erstwhile DoD functioned as a nodal Ministry for organizing, coordinating and promoting ocean development activities in the country. In February, 2006, the Government notified the Department as the Ministry of Ocean Development (MoOD).

The Government of India further reorganized the Ministry of Ocean Development and the new Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) came into being vide Presidential Notification dated the 12th July, 2006 bringing under its administrative control India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF). The Government also approved the setting up of Earth Commission on the pattern of Space Commission and Atomic Energy Commission.