India, Dec. 31 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
Avg AQI
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
January
328
328
286
324
279
311
355
306
February
243
242
241
288
225
237
218
214
March
203
184
128
223
217
170
176
170
April
222
211
110
202
255
180
182
210
May
217
221
144
144
212
171
223
170
June
202
189
123
147
190
130
179
141
July
104
134
84
110
87
84
96
78
August
111
86
64
107
93
116
72
89
September
112
98
118
78
104
108
105
105
October
269
234
265
173
210
219
234
223
November
335
312
328
377
321
373
374
354
December
360
337
332
336
319
348
294
351
Year
Daily avg. PM10 (µgm/m3)
Daily avg. PM2.5 (µgm/m3)
2018
241
113
2019
217
107
2020*
180
94
2021
211
105
2022
211
98
2023
205
100
2024
212
104
2025
197
96
Year
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
'Good' to 'Satisfactory' AQI Days
53
61
100
73
68
61
66
79
Year
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Avg. AQI
225
215
185
209
209
204
209
201
AQI Category
No. of days
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
'Good to Moderate'
159
182
227
197
163
206
209
200
'Poor to Very Poor'
186
159
124
144
196
144
140
157
'Severe to Severe+' (>401)
20
24
15
24
6
15
17
8
(<200)
(201 - 400)
The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), since its inception in 2021, through a series of Directions/ Advisories and Orders, has initiated various policy measures and field actions towards abatement of air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
Continued, concerted and persistent efforts of all the stakeholders round the year in 2025 have further helped to improve the general air quality in Delhi as is evident from a record 79 days during 2025 with the AQI of 100 or below i.e. in 'Good' and 'Satisfactory' categories, which is lower than only the COVID year 2020. The year 2025 recorded the second lowest number of "Severe to Severe+" AQI days, i.e. 8 such days, since 2018.
Month-wise Avg. AQI for Delhi
The months of February and July 2025 recorded the lowest ever average AQI for these months since 2018, even lower than the COVID year 2020. Further, barring Covid year 2020, the months of January, May and June witnessed the second lowest average AQI during 2025, as compared to the corresponding months of last 7 years since 2018.
Comparative PM10 and PM2.5 Concentrations
Further, comparative daily average Particulate Matter emission concentration (PM2.5 and PM10) values (till 29th December) in Delhi read as under:
* Covid Year
The year 2025 has thus witnessed the lowest ever average values for PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, barring the Covid affected year 2020.
The year 2025 witnessed the highest number of days with 'Good' to 'Satisfactory' AQI (0-100), barring COVID year 2020.
Absolutely still / very low speed wind conditions and unfavourable meterological conditions during December, 2025 led to an abnormally high monthly average AQI of 351. Despite this, the average AQI for 2025 has been the lowest in last 7 years since 2018 (barring the COVID year 2020) as tabulated under:
Annual Average AQI for Delhi
Comparative AQI Category Status for Delhi
With persistent field level efforts and targeted policy initiatives for quantified results in the short/ medium/ long term, it is expected that air quality scenario over Delhi will see further gradual but marked improvement, year on year.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
