Aug 26, 2026 14:17 pm IST

Opinion | Why Is India Cooler As The World Burns? A Heatwave 'Mystery'

Europe, which is warming at more than twice the global average, is now bracing for even worse climate impacts. But something strange and unexpected is happening in India, keeping it cooler.

Naresh Kaushik Naresh Kaushik Columnist

Naresh Kaushik Columnist

Europe has experienced its worst heatwave on record this year. Summer 2026 is on course to be the UK's hottest since records began, according to Britain's Met Office. Neighbouring France was the most "abnormally" hot country in the world between May and July, according to Finnish climate scientist Mika Rantanen. There was an unprecedented agricultural collapse. Nuclear reactors had to be shut down, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum closed early, and hundreds of schools closed or shortened their hours because of the unbearable heat. Several European countries recorded their highest-ever temperatures. In June, Spain recorded 45.1 degrees (Celsius), France 44.3 degrees, and Germany 41.7 degrees. In Western Europe, more than 32,000 excess deaths have been reported up to last week. Half of these excess deaths occurred during a heatwave in just one week in June. Death tolls from heatwaves are always revised upwards for months afterwards, once excess-mortality data is analysed. Even worse figures are expected.

Europe, which is warming at more than twice the global average, is now bracing for even worse climate impacts from the coming El Nino, predicted to be the strongest in living memory. Heat has killed an estimated 200,000 people across Europe over the past four years, according to the World Health Organisation, which has described the situation as a "health emergency." Europe's three-trillion-dollar tourism industry has taken a big hit, with many people cancelling their holidays to the continent this summer. Most scientists agree that the frequency, duration, and severity of heatwaves are driven by climate change.

India is not immune to heatwaves; we have just been more accustomed to them. Two years ago, Delhi recorded India's highest-ever temperature: 52.3 degrees. On April 27 this year, all 50 of the world's hottest cities were in India. But if Europe is this hot, India's situation should be much worse. But the fact is, India didn't even reach 50 degrees this summer. This has baffled climate scientists. India's climate trend is not following the same path as the rest of the world,........

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