The aircraft to be used for the first cloud-seeding trial in the national capital takes off from Kanpur, on October 28, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The first cloud-seeding trial have been conducted in parts of Delhi, including Burari and Karol Bagh areas, officials said on Tuesday (October 28, 2025).
According to the officials, the aircraft took off from Kanpur for Delhi conducted the exercise.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, citing IIT Kanpur, said that rains could happen within 15 minutes to 4 hours after cloud-seeding trial. He said that eight fire flares were released and the trial lasted for half an hour.
The second cloud-seeding trial will be conducted later in the day in Outer Delhi, he said, adding that at least nine such trials have been planned over the next few days.
The trial, aimed at inducing artificial rain to tackle air pollution in the capital, is part of the Delhi government’s broader strategy to mitigate deteriorating air quality during the winter months.
The government had conducted a test flight over Burari last week. During the test run, small quantities of silver iodide and sodium chloride compounds used to trigger artificial rain were released from the aircraft.
However, due to low atmospheric moisture of less than 20%, as against the 50% typically required for cloud seeding, rainfall could not be induced.
Published – October 28, 2025 01:27 pm IST
