New Delhi: India’s choked capital could this week witness yet another attempt at cloud seeding, with the hope that rains provide some relief to its residents.In a joint attempt by Delhi International Airport Ltd, Delhi govt and IIT Kanpur, a specialised Beechcraft 200 of a Bengaluru-based company landed at IGI Airport Tuesday morning, said sources. The Beechcraft, parked at an IGIA hangar, could not do sorties Tuesday due to absence of clouds and will try to enhance precipitation over the next two-three days as and when cloud formation happens depending on the situation, they added.Delhi govt, however, denied any such plan. In Oct 2025, Delhi executed three cloud-seeding trials in partnership with IIT Kanpur to mitigate its heavy air pollution. The trials had failed to trigger actual rainfall due to insufficient atmospheric moisture levels.“The aircraft used that time was one that could fly only to an altitude of 10,000 feet and do cloud seeding. The Beechcraft 200 being used now can go up to an altitude of 25,000 feet and the company is a specialised one for this task,” said people in the know.The company, according to its website, “is primarily committed to continue advances in the field of weather modification, either it is identifying the potential benefits of cloud seeding or monitoring air quality”.About cloud seeding, it states, “We intend to develop new techniques… to produce artificial rain, which will guarantee monsoon clouds break into torrential rains.”Incidentally, a fresh western disturbance is approaching north India that is likely to bring rains to the plains of northwestern India later this week.
