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Sunday | November 08, 2026 | Dhaka

Delhi tops world pollution rankings ahead of Diwali

 Reuters
 Published: 12:01 AM, 08 November 2026

Delhi the world’s most polluted major city on Saturday morning, according to Swiss group IQAir’s live ranking, as the Indian capital faced severe pollution forecasts a day before Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

India has ordered schools in and around Delhi to offer online classes, and encouraged people to from ahead of Diwali on Sunday, which is usually marked by the widespread use of firecrackers that further worsen the air quality.

IQAir ranked Delhi first among the world’s major cities at 10:35 a.m. (0505 GMT), with a US air quality index reading 581, double that of Lahore in neighboring Pakistan, at.

IQAir’s reading, based on concentrations air pollutants, is not directly comparable to India’s official index, which uses a different scale and methodology.