New Delhi:
As Delhi continues to grapple with recurring air pollution, authorities may once again turn to artificial rain, with IIT Kanpur seeking permission from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct cloud seeding trials between April and June, sources told NDTV.
The proposed summer window is being seen as a fresh attempt to test whether pre-monsoon conditions could improve the chances of success, after earlier trials failed to produce rainfall in the national capital.
The cloud seeding project was first rolled out last year under a collaboration between the Delhi government and IIT Kanpur, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as an emergency measure during peak pollution episodes.
After months of delays due to unfavourable weather and regulatory clearances, two rounds of trials were conducted in late October 2025. Aircraft deployed for the operation, including a specially equipped Cessna, released a mix of silver iodide, iodised salt and rock salt into cloud systems over parts of Delhi in an attempt to trigger rainfall and help settle airborne pollutants.
However, the effort did not yield results.
IIT Kanpur, in its assessment, attributed the outcome to low moisture levels in the clouds, noting that conditions were not conducive to precipitation. Experts have consistently underlined that cloud seeding cannot create clouds and only works when sufficient cloud mass and humidity are present.
Following those results, another round of trials was conducted earlier this year in Delhi, sources confirmed.
While authorities continue to explore the option, experts describe cloud seeding as a short-term, supplementary intervention – one that may offer only temporary relief from pollution, and only under favourable weather conditions.
What Is Cloud Seeding?
Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique in which substances such as silver iodide or salts are dispersed into existing clouds to enhance precipitation. These particles act as nuclei, aiding the formation of water droplets that may lead to rainfall.
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