The Delhi government has initiated a fresh round of cloud-seeding trials in a bid to mitigate the national capital’s persistent air pollution crisis. Government sources confirmed that two separate operations were conducted in the vicinity of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport over the past fortnight. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to explore artificial rain as a potential intervention to improve the city's deteriorating air quality during the winter months, when pollutants typically reach hazardous levels.
Unlike previous attempts, these latest trials were performed at an altitude of approximately 30,000 metres. This marks a significant shift from the 10,000-metre altitude utilized during the government’s initial cloud-seeding experiments conducted last year. While the administration is reportedly planning further tests following the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals, officials are not expected to provide formal confirmation or public announcements regarding these operations until after the festive period concludes.
The push for weather modification comes as Delhi grapples with worsening air quality metrics. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 367 on Thursday, November 5, 2026, following a reading of 377 the previous day. Localised conditions have proved even more severe; areas such as Jahangirpuri reached an AQI of 459, while IIT Delhi and Punjabi Bagh recorded levels of 445. Reports indicate that PM2.5 remains the primary pollutant across the majority of the capital's monitoring stations, exacerbated by thick haze and low wind speeds.
Cloud seeding is a technical weather-modification process designed to increase precipitation. By releasing specific substances—typically silver iodide and sodium chloride—into suitable cloud formations, the process encourages the creation of ice crystals or water droplets, which eventually fall as rain. The intended benefit for Delhi is the natural settling of dust and atmospheric particulate matter. However, the efficacy of the method is highly dependent on specific atmospheric conditions, which remain a primary challenge for large-scale implementation.
The current initiative builds upon a partnership established between the Delhi Environment Department and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. The collaboration was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 25, 2025, specifically to investigate emergency measures for peak winter pollution. During the project's inaugural trials in October of the previous year, teams deployed eight chemical flares containing silver iodide and sodium chloride.
Although the initial experiments in 2025 did not result in rainfall, the Delhi government subsequently issued a report asserting that the trials contributed to a reduction in particulate matter levels at specific test locations. The government continues to view this technology as a viable, albeit complex, tool for managing the annual winter smog that blankets the city.
As Delhi waits for the outcome of these latest experimental phases, the administration faces the ongoing challenge of addressing pollution through a combination of regulatory measures and scientific innovation. While public attention remains focused on the impact of the upcoming festivities on air quality, the results of these high-altitude trials are expected to inform future government policy regarding the long-term feasibility of artificial rain as a pollution control strategy.
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