Is the national capital finally beginning to clean up its act? On June 1, 2026, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) stated that India’s capital city had recorded its cleanest air in the January-May period in the last eight years.
The average Air Quality Index (AQI) during the first five months in 2026 improved to 211. Contrast this with the figures recorded for the same period in other years: 214 (2025), 231 (2024), 213 (2023), 238 (2022), 235 (2021), 237 (2019) and 243 (2018).
According to the CAQM, this is the lowest average AQI recorded in Delhi in the past eight years, apart from 2020. That year saw unusually low pollution levels due to pandemic-related restrictions.
The national capital also witnessed a higher number of days with relatively cleaner air during the January-May period this year.
While the month of May this year was marked by heatwave spells, unusually warm nights, and occasional thunderstorms, authorities in Delhi have also made efforts to control pollution in the national capital.
And while there is still a lot of achieve in the fight against air pollution in Delhi, the city can take heart from this small success for now.