BRICS 2026: Delhi gets pollution break with Putin, Xi, Pezeshkian in town; AQI drops to 62 – what cleared the air? | Today’s news
Delhi will welcome some of the world’s most prominent leaders this weekend as the capital hosts the BRICS summit. Amid the highly watched rally, Delhi also saw a noticeable improvement in air quality.
Around 4 pm on September 12, Delhi’s lowest AQI was recorded at 62, placing it in the moderate category, according to AQI.in.
The improvement in air quality comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other BRICS leaders arrive in Delhi for a two-day summit.
The change is notable as the capital has seen relatively higher pollution levels earlier this week. Delhi’s official AQI on September 10 was 133, which was also in the moderate category. The value further rose to 155 during the early hours of Friday, September 11.
So what helped clean up Delhi’s notoriously polluted air? The answer lies largely in the weather conditions.
The capital city has experienced rain and cloudy skies in recent days as an active monsoon continues to affect the region.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast generally cloudy conditions with light rain in Delhi on September 12. The wet weather is expected to continue in the coming days.
Rainfall can temporarily improve air quality by washing some suspended pollutants out of the atmosphere. As raindrops move towards the ground, they can pick up dust and other pollution particles present in the air.
Changes in wind patterns and atmospheric conditions can further aid the dispersion of pollutants and prevent them from accumulating near the surface.
The ongoing weather conditions are also associated with the wider monsoon system. A low pressure area over northwest and west-central Bay of Bengal is affecting rainfall over several parts of north-central India, including Delhi.
For the BRICS Summit, the timing could not have been better. Whether by coincidence or luck, the two-day event arrived during a relatively cleaner window for the capital when leaders meet to discuss global issues.
Advantages of BRICS
This year, India is hosting the BRICS Summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12-13. Conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, along with global trade turmoil and energy security, are expected to dominate the two-day meeting of the 11-member bloc.
The BRICS grouping on Saturday adopted a joint declaration with consensus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the adoption of the declaration at the end of the opening session at the two-day summit hosted by India.
PM Modi was seen shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the conclusion of the inaugural session at the summit.
