India's monsoon delivers its weakest rainfall in over ten years

During the 2026 monsoon, India experienced its lowest rainfall in more than a decade, with total precipitation 12.6% beneath the long-term average. The India Meteorological Department said the country received 15% less rain than normal from June 1 to September 13, a shortfall linked to the El Niño phenomenon. The southern peninsula suffered the steepest decline, recording 28% less rain, while eastern and northeastern regions were down 25%.

June’s rainfall was especially scant, 36.5% below normal, which hampered kharif crop planting, leaving the cultivated area about 21% smaller than a year earlier. Rainfall modestly rebounded in July and August, with July even slightly above normal on an all-India basis, yet persistent dry spells kept the cumulative deficit near 15%. Regional deficits varied from zero to 35%, underscoring uneven impacts across the country.