India’s battle with air pollution has once again made global headlines, with Delhi earning the unfortunate title of the world’s most polluted city, according to the latest data from Swiss air quality firm IQAir. The ranking, based on real-time air quality levels, places three Indian metros among the world’s top ten most polluted cities, a grim reflection of the country’s ongoing environmental crisis.

Delhi tops the list, followed by Lahore in Pakistan, which takes the second spot. Kuwait City ranks third, while Karachi and Mumbai follow at fourth and fifth. Tashkent in Uzbekistan, Doha in Qatar, and Kolkata, the third Indian city on the list come next. Surprisingly, even Canberra, Australia, appears at ninth, while Jakarta, Indonesia, rounds off the top ten.

The latest readings reveal just how pervasive and severe South Asia’s pollution problem has become. The region’s rapid urbanisation, industrial activity, and vehicle emissions are combining into a toxic mix that routinely chokes its major cities.

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