Over the past few years, Delhi has seen the monsoon arrive on different dates. It occurred on June 28 of last year, June 26 of 2023, June 30 of 2022, July 13 of 2021, and June 25 of 2020, for instance.
Sachchida Nand Tripathi from IIT-Kanpur, who led a project in 2018, with help from HAL and other organizations, believes that cloud seeding should be continued.
“We made efforts in 2018 and conducted a few experiments. We had also obtained a small aircraft from Isro to experiment in Delhi, but then, there were some unfulfilling pre-requisites for seeding in Delhi, so it was dropped. Then, experiments were proposed using a bigger aircraft from HAL in 2019 in Uttar Pradesh, but it was dropped due to certain reasons. Later, the Covid wave hit the nation,” said Tripathi, head of the civil engineering department at IIT-K. Requesting anonymity, another official said that the experiment was dropped in 2019 due to a lack of “financial support”.
Tripathi believes that we shouldn’t dismiss cloud seeding just because of the weather conditions in Delhi and that it should be pursued as a technological progress similar to what China is doing.
18 June 2025: “When we say ‘Right to Clean Air’, we mean it. From anti-smog guns and sprinklers to strict dust mitigation norms at construction sites, we are pushing every boundary – and now even the skies – for our people. This pilot project is not just about artificial rain, it’s about scientific courage and environmental justice,” Delhi’s environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said.
Using the same aircraft and Aare systems, IIT Kanpur has successfully carried out seven in-house cloud seeding experiments in drought-prone areas between April and July. Building on prior experiments, this Delhi pilot project focuses specifically on pollution reduction. The goal is not just to create rain, but also to determine whether or not this type of precipitation actually lowers the amount of particulate matter in the surrounding air. The initiative will add to the body of evidence that may be used in other metropolitan areas that are contaminated in the future.
IIT Kanpur has developed a custom seeding mixture containing pure nanoparticles of Silver Iodide (AgI), powdered Rock Salt, Iodized Salt, and a free- flowing agent that combines hygroscopic and glaciogenic cloud-seeding capabilities. Seeding mixture requirements will vary according to moisture content.
The monsoon season has resulted in severe, city paralyzing floods in Delhi due to just a few hours of rain. The locals have been observing erratic weather patterns of sudden heats, chills, and rains. Some are speculating that cloud seeding was somehow creating these erratic patterns. The flooding raises serious questions about urban planning and infrastructure preparedness for climate-related issues are brought to light by this flooding.
The trials are being led by the Department of Aerospace Engineering at IIT Kanpur, which will oversee the planning, aircraft deployment, chemical dispersal, scientific modeling, and operational logistics. The project has a total outlay of ₹3.21 crore, with ₹2.75 crore allocated for the five trials (₹55 lakh per trial) and an additional ₹66 lakh for one-time setup costs, including equipment calibration and preparatory work.
The final approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is now between August 30 and September 10, 2025.
In addition to Delhi, Rajasthan conducted India’s first drone-based artificial rain experiment on August 12, 2025, near Ramgarh Dam in Jaipur. This pilot project, a collaboration between the Rajasthan Agriculture Department and GenX AI, involved around 60 drones releasing chemicals to induce rainfall. The chemicals used are similar to those in traditional cloud seeding, such as silver iodide. This drone-based approach is considered more cost-effective and precise for targeted rainmaking in drought-prone regions. The experiment received necessary approvals from the DGCA, IMD, District Administration, and the Agriculture Department.
Ref:
- https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/india/delhi-to-get-its-1st-ever-artificial-rain-pilot-project-xzvga5wo
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/why-cloud-seeding-is-no-longer-being-seen-as-an-option-to-clear-delhis-air/articleshow/88530860.cms
- Wikipedia
- Delhi govt pushes ahead with cloud seeding, sets aside Rs 3 cr. [ https://theprint.in/environment/delhi-govt-pushes-ahead-with-cloud-seeding-sets-aside-rs-3-cr/2619211/]
- India’s First Drone Cloud Seeding Trial In Rajasthan Today: Know All About It. [ https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-first-drone-cloud-seeding-trial-in-rajasthan-today-know-all-about-it-9066931]
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