The Karnataka Government has officially launched a cloud seeding operation in Bengaluru, as part of the state’s rainfall deficit and drought crisis, drinking water supply, and agricultural distress. The programme was launched from HAL Airport in Bengaluru on Friday, September 4, and the Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar arrived at the airport and began the cloud-seeding operation. Water Resources Minister N. Chaluvarayaswamy and Congress leader H. K. Patil were also present at the launch and flagged off the cloud-seeding operation.
But it’s at a crucial time for Karnataka, where there is a lack of rainfall and water shortages that are more imminent in the upcoming months, the state government said. The cloud seeding exercise works to supplement natural rainfall and may help farmers to get relief and recharge water sources where favourable cloud conditions are available, and will help at least in the short term.
According to officials, the current cloud seeding programme has received administrative approval of about ₹28.52 crore excluding GST. The project is being implemented by Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited under the Water Resources Department and Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre under the Revenue Department. Two committees have also been established to monitor and technically evaluate the operation.
Water Resources Minister N. Chaluvarayaswamy said the state had been less able to get rain this year and warned that the situation could have a huge effect on drinking water and the farmers’ livelihoods. The government’s decision to develop cloud seeding, he said, was for farmers’ sake and compensated for the rainfall deficit where possible. He also mentioned the previous cloud seeding experiments in Karnataka and said the new programme would be helpful.
Karnataka govt launches cloud seeding operation in Bengaluru.
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CM DK Shivakumar arrived at the HAL airport, from where the programme was launched.
Karnataka Water Resources Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy, senior Congress leader HK Patil, along with other leaders flagged off the… pic.twitter.com/WPfJlF267E
H. K. Patil, who was also present at the launch, was confident in the 2026 experiment. Cloud seeding should be seen as a scientific intervention rather than a gamble, he said, but he also acknowledged that the success of the program is dependent on where clouds are and what conditions are in place.
Cloud seeding is done by introducing the right particles into clouds to promote the formation and growth of water droplets, which could increase precipitation. The operation cannot produce rain in a clear sky, though. It requires cloud formations of sufficient moisture. The technical teams in Karnataka will therefore monitor the weather and cloud formation and decide on where aircraft should fly in individual sorties.
The state’s technical monitoring system is expected to monitor cloud density and atmospheric conditions. When rain-bearing clouds are identified, specialised aircraft can be used to conduct the seeding operation. The locations of sorties are not necessarily fixed in advance and can be adjusted in real time.
The Karnataka government had already announced plans for cloud seeding in all four revenue divisions of the state. The programme would be in place for an extended period, and operations would depend heavily on cloud cover. September is considered an important window because cloud conditions may be better for the exercise, they said.
Karnataka has tried cloud seeding in the past. A 2003 operation was described by the state government as having a success rate of around 27 per cent, while officials have also pointed to earlier experiments with varying degrees of success.
Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, in the meantime, has said the government is assessing drought conditions in affected parts of Karnataka. The state has declared 101 taluks drought-affected, and the government is also preparing to discuss the situation during a special Assembly session later this month.
The cloud seeding programme's main hope for farmers will be that more rain could help crops and water availability; there will be more precipitation, which would be better for crops and more water to grow and water access to farmers who have the potential to produce more crops. Increased precipitation could also help replenish lakes, ponds, and other local water bodies, though the actual benefits will be based on the success of each operation and subsequent rainfall.
The launch from HAL Airport is Karnataka’s latest attempt to use weather modification technology as part of its overall response to rainfall uncertainty. Cloud seeding is not a sure-fire solution to drought, but the government hopes good weather conditions will allow for more rain and a little relief for farmers and communities suffering from water shortages.
