The summer of 2026 has begun, but several states of India are already facing dangerous heat. By mid-April, states such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Chhattisgarh recorded temperatures between 43°C and 45°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that east, central and northwest India are likely to experience above-normal heatwave days until June. A heatwave is declared when temperatures rise 4.5°C above normal levels or cross 45°C. But experts say this is no longer a rare event. It is part of a growing climate crisis. According to the IMD, India’s average temperature has increased by around 0.9°C between 1901 and 2024.
The year 2024 was officially the hottest year ever recorded both globally and in India. IMD data shows that every month of 2024, except one, recorded above-normal temperatures something not seen in more than 120 years. Heat is no longer limited to daytime alone. Over the last decade, nearly 70 percent of Indian districts experienced at least five extra very warm nights during summer compared to the 1982-2011 average. Health experts warn that when nights remain heat, the human body does not get enough time to recover from daytime heat. This increases the chances of heatstroke and worsens diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Indian cities are heating up even faster because of the “urban heat island” effect. Buildings, roads and concrete structures absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night, keeping temperatures high. Mumbai recorded 15 additional warm nights per summer over the last decade, Bengaluru saw 11 more such nights, while Delhi recorded six extra warm nights. The impact on human life is becoming severe. In 2024 alone, India reported more than 44,000 heatstroke cases and over 700 deaths linked to extreme heat.
The economic impact is also worrying. The International Labour Organisation estimates that by 2030, India could lose the equivalent of 35 million full-time jobs because of heat stress. The country’s GDP could also shrink by 4.5 percent. For many people, surviving the heat now depends on air conditioners. Hasil Thakur, a 23-year-old network engineer from Himachal Pradesh who now lives in Noida, said rising temperatures are making daily life difficult.
“This year, temperatures have risen significantly, making daily life exhausting and increasing the risk of heat-related issues,” he said. Like millions of others, he now depends on air conditioning to stay comfortable indoors. However, experts point to a growing problem. The machines helping people escape the heat are also contributing to global warming. Air conditioners increase environmental damage in two major ways. First, they consume large amounts of electricity. Since India still depends heavily on coal-based power generation, higher AC usage means more fossil fuel burning. In 2023, electricity generation from fossil fuels increased by 2,853 million units to meet summer cooling demand, adding nearly 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. The second issue is that many ACs sold in India are designed for cooler countries such as Japan, South Korea and parts of Europe, not for India’s extreme temperatures.
“India’s AC ownership will grow rapidly in the coming years,” said Professor Anurag Goel, technical advisor to the startup. “If we do not create sustainable cooling solutions suitable for India’s extreme heat, today’s solution could become tomorrow’s threat,” he warned. Experts also believe urban planning can play a major role in reducing heat. In Delhi, special cooling rooftop materials have reduced surface temperatures by as much as 6.3°C during peak summer conditions. These materials help rooftops reflect heat instead of trapping it. Experts say the technology already exists, but large-scale planning and implementation are still missing. Meanwhile, the government has started taking steps to improve energy efficiency.
India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency has approved stricter energy standards for room air conditioners from January 2026. According to climate organisation CLASP, these new rules could reduce India’s peak electricity demand by 8 to 10 gigawatts by 2030, save consumers thousands of crores of rupees and cut up to 12 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year.As temperatures continue to rise, India now faces a difficult challenge, keeping millions of people cool without making the climate crisis even worse.
