Delhi Government Explores Cloud-Seeding to Combat Air Pollution

The Delhi government is actively pursuing cloud-seeding trials to mitigate air pollution, having conducted two rounds near Indira Gandhi International Airport. These trials, which took place at a higher altitude than previous efforts, aim to enhance precipitation and improve air quality. More trials are expected after the Diwali and Chhath festivals, although official announcements will be delayed. Cloud seeding, a weather-modification technique, involves dispersing substances into clouds to stimulate rain. This initiative, launched in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, seeks to address pollution during peak winter months. Despite past trials not resulting in rainfall, the government claims they have successfully reduced particulate matter levels.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 5, 2026, 11:47 IST

Cloud-Seeding Trials Near IGI Airport

Representational Image(Photo: @AbhilashaPurwar/X)

New Delhi, Nov 5: In a bid to address the escalating air pollution in the capital, the Delhi government has undertaken two rounds of cloud-seeding trials in the vicinity of Indira Gandhi International Airport over the past fortnight, as reported by government sources.

These trials were executed at an altitude of around 30,000 meters, which is notably higher than the previous year's operations that took place at approximately 10,000 meters.

Further trials are anticipated to occur following the Diwali and Chhath festivals, although officials have indicated that no formal announcements regarding these operations will be made until after Diwali.

Cloud seeding is a technique used to modify weather patterns, enhancing a cloud's capacity to generate precipitation. This process involves dispersing materials like silver iodide and sodium chloride into clouds to stimulate the formation of raindrops or ice crystals.

The initiative was first launched last year in partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, aimed at finding solutions to pollution during severe winter conditions.

This collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 25, 2025, between the Delhi Environment Department and IIT Kanpur.

Last October, two rounds of trials were conducted, during which eight chemical flares containing silver iodide and sodium chloride were deployed in each session. However, these experiments did not yield any rainfall.

Despite the lack of precipitation, the Delhi government later reported that the trials contributed to a decrease in particulate matter levels at the targeted sites.