New Delhi – After years of battling pollution, Delhiites have a refreshing reason to celebrate. In a significant development, July 2025 recorded the cleanest air in seven years, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) dropping to a “Satisfactory” level of just 78, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which released this data on Thursday.
What makes this achievement even more notable is that this year’s AQI was better than even in 2020 — the year of strict COVID-19 lockdowns when movement and industrial activities were heavily restricted, leading to reduced pollution levels.
Year-Wise AQI Comparison (July)
Here’s a breakdown of the average AQI in July over the past few years:
- 2018: 104
- 2019: 134
- 2020: 84
- 2021: 110
- 2022: 87
- 2023: 84
- 2024: 96
- 2025: 78
This July also witnessed the highest number of days with AQI in the “Satisfactory” category in the last seven years:
- 2025: 29 days
- 2024: 17 days
- 2023: 26 days
- 2022: 25 days
- 2021: 20 days
- 2020: 25 days
- 2019: 12 days
- 2018: 16 days
January to July 2025 – Significant Improvement
From January to July 2025, Delhi’s air quality also showed remarkable improvement. The average AQI for this period was 184, compared to 204 in 2024 and 183 in 2023. For comparison:
- 2022: 209
- 2021: 205
- 2020: 159
- 2019: 215
- 2018: 217
Significantly, not a single day in 2025 recorded AQI above 400, a level categorized as “Severe”. In contrast, previous years often reported multiple days with dangerously high pollution levels.
What This Means for Delhi
This data marks a rare and welcome shift in Delhi’s air quality, offering both environmental and public health benefits. While it’s too early to declare permanent change, the trend provides hope — and a breath of fresh air — for the capital’s residents.
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