BENGALURU, India — India’s delayed monsoon season is intensifying water shortages in major cities while leaving millions of farmers uncertain about this year’s harvest, as below-average rainfall disrupts daily life and agricultural planning across the country.
The annual southwest monsoon, which normally begins in June, has arrived later than usual in several regions, creating mounting pressure on water resources and delaying crop planting. Meteorological officials have linked the slowdown to El Niño conditions and dry atmospheric patterns, warning that rainfall during the remainder of the season is expected to remain below normal.
Mumbai, India’s financial capital, recently received its first significant monsoon showers nearly two weeks later than average. Despite the rainfall, local authorities have maintained water restrictions as reservoir levels remain critically low.
Municipal officials have suspended the use of public water supplies for activities such as filling swimming pools and supplying construction projects in an effort to preserve drinking water for essential household needs.
For many residents, the shortages have become part of daily life.
Aishah Khan, a domestic worker in Mumbai, said collecting even a small amount of water requires hours of waiting while she balances work responsibilities and caring for her family.
Farmers postpone planting as rainfall remains scarce
Across northern India, delayed rainfall has forced many farmers to postpone sowing crops during one of the year’s most important planting periods.
Suresh Kumar, a millet farmer in Uttar Pradesh, said fields remain too dry to begin planting, adding that the continued delay is increasing financial pressure on farming households already struggling with rising production costs.
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In neighboring Madhya Pradesh, soybean and wheat farmer Kedar Sirohi expressed concern that another weak monsoon could further threaten agricultural incomes.
June and July typically mark the peak sowing season for millions of Indian farmers who rely heavily on seasonal rainfall rather than irrigation. This year’s uncertainty has compounded other challenges, including concerns over fertilizer availability and trade-related pressures affecting agricultural markets.
Climate change is reshaping India’s monsoon
Scientists say India’s traditional monsoon patterns have become increasingly unpredictable as global temperatures continue to rise.
Historically, South Asia experiences two distinct monsoon seasons. The primary southwest monsoon extends from June through September, while a second northeast monsoon generally occurs between October and December.
Rising global temperatures allow warmer air to retain greater amounts of moisture before releasing it over shorter periods, resulting in more intense downpours separated by longer dry spells rather than steady seasonal rainfall.
Akshay Deoras, a meteorologist at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, said India’s monsoon has become noticeably more variable because of global warming.
He said periods of heavy rainfall are becoming increasingly intense while dry intervals are lasting longer, making rainfall less reliable for agriculture and water management.
Deoras added that the current nationwide rainfall deficit is too significant to be fully reversed even if rainfall improves over the coming weeks.
Rainfall deficit remains severe
The India Meteorological Department reported that El Niño conditions and persistent dry northwesterly winds have slowed the advance of the monsoon, leaving the country with a rainfall deficit of approximately 42%.
The agency forecasts that rainfall between June and September will remain below the long-term seasonal average.
Local government figures indicate Mumbai’s reservoirs contain roughly 40 days of available water under current conditions. Even with additional rainfall expected in the coming days, experts believe reservoir levels are unlikely to recover quickly enough to eliminate immediate concerns.
Water conservation becomes increasingly urgent
Climate specialists say India’s growing exposure to erratic rainfall highlights the need for stronger long-term water management policies.
According to a report released last year by Germanwatch, India ranks among the world’s countries most affected by climate change.
The country is also the world’s largest extractor of groundwater, withdrawing more groundwater annually than the United States and China combined, according to a 2022 United Nations report. India’s Central Ground Water Board estimates that groundwater supplies account for roughly 70% of the nation’s water use.
Heavy extraction for farming, construction, and expanding urban populations, combined with increasingly irregular rainfall and prolonged heat, has caused groundwater levels to decline in many regions.
Abhiyant Tiwari, a climate and health expert with NRDC India, said improving water conservation, restoring urban lakes, and protecting village ponds should become national priorities to strengthen resilience against increasingly frequent climate shocks.
Hydrogeologist Vivek Grewal of WELL Labs said farmers with reliable groundwater access remain better positioned to withstand weak monsoons, while those dependent solely on rainfall face greater risks.
He warned that repeated years of poor rainfall steadily deplete groundwater reserves, leaving both rural communities and rapidly growing cities increasingly vulnerable whenever seasonal rains fail to replenish reservoirs.
Tags: India, Mumbai, Monsoon, Climate Change, Water Shortage, Agriculture, Farmers, El Niño, India Meteorological Department, Groundwater, Mumbai Reservoirs, Weather
