India is preparing to test new weather modification technologies aimed at managing rainfall and reducing pollution. The government plans to open a state-of-the-art cloud chamber at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, to conduct experiments in cloud seeding — a process that disperses substances into clouds to induce rain.
This project, part of Mission Mausam and the Viksit Bharat initiative for advanced weather management, will study both rain enhancement and suppression. The new technologies will be showcased at the 11th WMO Scientific Conference on Weather Modification at IITM Pune (November 3–7).
Earlier, a cloud-seeding test in Delhi led by IIT Kanpur aimed to reduce pollution levels but failed to generate rainfall due to low atmospheric moisture. The upcoming chamber in Pune, one of the tallest in the world at 15 metres, will allow scientists to simulate atmospheric conditions and perform controlled experiments.
Globally, nations like China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have conducted multiple cloud seeding operations. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) maintains a neutral stance—supporting scientific research while neither promoting nor discouraging weather modification technologies.
Experts caution that although methods such as hail suppression, fog dispersal, and artificial rainfall show potential, the science of cloud manipulation is still evolving and highly dependent on local atmospheric conditions.
It refers to scientific techniques like cloud seeding used to alter weather patterns, primarily to enhance or reduce rainfall.
Cloud seeding involves spraying particles such as silver iodide or salt into clouds to stimulate raindrop formation and precipitation.
The goal is to improve water availability, manage droughts and floods, and reduce urban air pollution through enhanced rainfall control.
IITM Pune is developing an advanced cloud chamber to simulate real weather conditions and test different weather modification techniques before deploying them on a large scale.
Not yet. The effectiveness of cloud seeding varies by region and depends on factors like moisture levels, cloud type, and local atmospheric dynamics.
China and the UAE have actively implemented cloud seeding to enhance rainfall and control fog, particularly in arid regions.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) neither supports nor opposes weather modification but advocates for rigorous scientific study and safe operational practices.
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