The much-anticipated attempt to induce rainfall through cloud seeding in parts of Delhi on Tuesday was &ldquo;not completely successful&rdquo;, according to IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agarwal, who attributed the outcome to low moisture levels in the clouds.
Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Agarwal said that while the experiment did not yield rain, it provided valuable data for future trials. 
&ldquo;There hasn&rsquo;t been any rain so far. So, in that sense, it was not completely successful. Unfortunately, the clouds today had only 15&ndash;20% moisture content, making the chances of rain very low,&rdquo; he explained.
Agarwal noted that the mixture used in the process contained 20% silver iodide and the rest consisted of rock salt and common salt. 
A total of 14 flares were fired during the operation. 
&ldquo;Despite the low moisture, the trial has given our team more confidence to continue such experiments,&rdquo; he added.
The IIT Kanpur team, working in collaboration with the Delhi government, plans to conduct two more flights on Wednesday, depending on cloud cover.
On whether cloud seeding can offer a lasting solution to Delhi&rsquo;s air pollution crisis, Agarwal clarified that it is not a permanent fix, but rather an emergency measure.
&ldquo;It is an SOS solution &mdash; something to attempt in a crisis to reduce pollution levels. The permanent solution lies in controlling pollution sources. Ideally, we should not have to depend on cloud seeding at all,&rdquo; he said.
Agarwal acknowledged that the costs are high since flights are being conducted from Uttar Pradesh, but added that expenses could be reduced in the future. 
&ldquo;Even a small amount of rain can provide temporary relief by reducing pollution,&rdquo; he noted.
Government&rsquo;s View
The Delhi government reported that the cloud seeding trials resulted in a reduction in particulate matter levels in the areas where they were conducted.
According to the report, light rainfall was recorded &mdash; 0.1 mm in Noida and 0.2 mm in Greater Noida at 4 pm on Tuesday.
&ldquo;Before the seeding, PM2.5 levels were 221, 230, and 229 in Mayur Vihar, Karol Bagh, and Burari, respectively, which reduced to 207, 206, and 203 after the first seeding. Similarly, PM10 levels dropped from 207, 206, and 209 to 177, 163, and 177 in the same areas,&rdquo; the report stated.
Despite limited rainfall, officials said the operation demonstrated that cloud seeding can help marginally reduce pollution levels under suitable weather conditions.

Cloud seeding aircraft flying over cloudy Delhi

IIT Kanpur says Delhi’s cloud seeding saw no rain due to low moisture, trials to continue

Cloud Seeding In Delhi Fails To Bring Rain

IIT Kanpur says Delhi’s cloud seeding saw no rain due to low moisture, trials to continue

October 29, 2025 | 10:26 IST