Rainfall in India

India relies mostly on the Monsoons for its water replenishment needs. The monsoons (southwest summer monsoon) occur over a four-month period and the weather is dominated by massive convective thunderstorms.

Why monsoons matter?

• The rains brought by the Indian Monsoons have an impact on the overall Indian economy as a good monsoon season increases agricultural production.
• Weak or failed monsoons (droughts) cause widespread agricultural losses.
• 55% of Indian arable land is rain-fed.
• As the Indian agriculture sector employs 600 million people and comprises 20% of the national GDP, any failure of the monsoon will substantially hinder overall economic growth.

Current State of Monsoon in India

• This year till date, the Indian monsoons are 20% below the total average.
• Rainfall has been lesser in the Central, Western and Southern parts of the country.
• Soybean and cotton-growing central regions received 68% less rainfall.
• The rubber and tea-growing Kerala has received 71 percent lower rainfall.

Who releases these figures?

The figures related to the monsoons are released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). It is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India. This is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting (like climate and rainfall) and seismology in India. It is headquartered in Delhi and also has regional offices are at Mumbai, Kolkata, Nagpur, and Pune.