Skip to content
Mumbai · Friday, 18 September 2026

National Revealed

The Truth can never be hidden

Business

Tropics’ bad boy puts India’s monsoon on edge

By Sohail Khan 18 September 2026, 7:14 am

Benchmarks
Nifty23,270.6053.0

FEATURED FUNDS★★★★★

Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund Direct-Growth

5Y Return
22 %

Invest Now

Enter search text:

Business News›News›India›El Niño puts India on track for its driest monsoon since 2009

    Read Today's Paper

    El Niño puts India on track for its driest monsoon since 2009
    Synopsis

    India is set to face its driest monsoon in 17 years as El Niño curtails rainfall. This deficit threatens crop yields and increases food price risks across the nation. Forecasters predict a significant rainfall shortfall for the current monsoon season. The government is taking measures to manage rising food costs and ensure supplies. Farmers depend on these rains for irrigation and their livelihoods.

    60% probability of deficient rainfall triggers drought alarm across India
    Representative image.

    India is on course for its driest monsoon in 17 years as a strengthening El Niño curbs rainfall, threatening crop yields and raising food-price risks.



    Cumulative rainfall during the June to September monsoon season is 15% below the long-term average so far, according to the India Meteorological Department. If the deficit persists, it would be the weakest monsoon since 2009, when precipitation was 18% below normal. The weather office had forecast a 10% shortfall for this season back in May.



    Conditions may become favorable for a tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal in the last week of September, said Christian Werner, managing director of Australia-based consultancy Global Weather Climate Analytics. That could potentially bring much-needed rain to eastern and northeastern India, mitigating the deficit there, he added.


    467966331Bloomberg

    Forecasters and academics are also placing bets on India’s monsoon through a specialty prediction platform at Lancaster University in the UK, known by its acronym CRUCIAL. With less than two weeks of monsoon remaining, the platform is assigning a 68% chance that the season will end with a rainfall deficit of 10% to 20%, according to founder and planetary scientist Mark Roulston.



    Adequate monsoon rains are crucial for the hundreds of millions of Indian farmers who depend on the seasonal precipitation to irrigate fields in the country, which is among the world’s biggest producers of rice, sugar and cotton. The season accounts for most of India’s annual rainfall.




    (You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)


    (You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)


    Read More News on
    El Niño Indiafood price inflation Indiaindia monsoon 2026drought conditions Indiamonsoon rainfall deficitcrop yield impactIndia Meteorological DepartmentQuantEco economist

    The The
    Enter search text:

    Continue reading with one of these options:
    Limited Access
    Free
    Login to get access to some exclusive stories

    & personalised newsletters
    Login Now

    Unlimited Access
    Starting @ Rs120/month
    Get access to exclusive stories, expert opinions &

    in-depth stock reports
    Subscribe Now

    ET

    Unlock Access to All Exclusives with ETPrime FREE TRIAL

    15 Days Free: Unlock All ETPrime Exclusives, Market Tools & ePapers

    Trial offer expiring in00 : 05 : 00

    I'd rather pay ₹2599 now

    Uh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.

    Worry not. You’re just a step away.

    Prime Account Detected!

    It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

    Login using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits

    Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

    Unlock ETPrime's Exclusive Stories Today!

    Subscribe to gain powerful insights on business, stock market and industry trends.

    Big Price Drop! Flat 40% Off

    Student Only Offer

    Already a Member? Sign In now

    Already a Member? Sign In now
    Already a Member? Sign In now

    Offer Exclusively For You

    Save up to Rs. 700/-

    ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

    Avail Offer

    Offer Exclusively For You

    Get 1 Year Free

    With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

    Avail Offer

    Offer Exclusively For You

    Get 1 Year Free

    With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

    Avail Offer

    Offer Exclusively For You

    Get Flat 40% Off

    Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

    Avail Offer

    Offer Exclusively For You

    ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

    Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

    Avail Offer

    Special Offer

    Get flat 40% off on ETPrime

    Avail Offer
    Avail Offer

    Claim NowAlready a Member? Sign In now

    Need Assistance?

    Connect with an ETPrime expert for personalized support and guidance

    +91 9484700004

    ' + h3 + '

    ' + h4 + '

      ' + listing + '

    What’s Included with

    PrimeETPrime Membership

    1Exclusive Insights That Matter

    Uncover the truth with our investigative stories

    Make strategic moves using the real-world case studies

    Read industry-specific stories to identify emerging trends

    Spot opportunities with
in-depth insights that matter

    • Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

      Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

      What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising

      What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising

    • Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

      Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

      Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?

      Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?

    • Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

      Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

      The problem with lab grown diamonds

      The problem with lab grown diamonds

    • Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

      Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

      A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year

      A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year

      2Invest Wisely With Smart Market Tools & Investment Ideas

      Alpha Trade

      Alpha Trade

      Get daily trade ideas from SEBI-registered research analysts.

      Investment Ideas

      Investment Ideas

      Grow your wealth with stock ideas & sectoral trends.

      Stock Reports Plus

      Stock Reports Plus

      All-in-one stock research with Stock Score, peer comparison & key signals.

      BigBull Portfolio

      BigBull Portfolio

      Get to know where the market bulls are investing to identify the right stocks.

      Stock Analyzer

      Stock Analyzer

      Check the score based on the company's fundamentals, solvency, growth, risk & ownership to decide the right stocks.

      Market Mood

      Market Mood

      Analyze the market sentiments & identify the trend reversal for strategic decisions.

      Stock Talk Live at 9 AM Daily

      Stock Talk Live at 9 AM Daily

      Ask your stock queries & get assured replies by ET appointed, SEBI registered experts.

      3Stay informed anytime, anywhere with ET ePaper

      ePaper – Print View

      ePaper - Print View

      Read the PDF version of ET newspaper. Download & access it offline anytime.

      ePaper – Digital View

      ePaper - Digital View

      Read your daily newspaper in Digital View & get it delivered to your inbox everyday.

      Wealth Edition

      Wealth Edition

      Manage your money efficiently with this weekly money management guide.

      4Times Of India Subscription (1 Year)

      ePaper

      Read the PDF version of  newspaper. Download & access it offline anytime.

      Read the PDF version of newspaper. Download & access it offline anytime.

      Deep Explainers

      Explore the In-depth explanation of complex topics for everyday life decisions.

      Explore the In-depth explanation of complex topics for everyday life decisions.

      Health+ Stories

      Get fitter with daily health insights committed to your well-being.

      Get fitter with daily health insights committed to your well-being.

      Personal Finance+ Stories

      Manage your wealth better with in-depth insights & updates on finance.

      Manage your wealth better with in-depth insights & updates on finance.

      New York Times Exclusives

      Stay globally informed  with exclusive story from New York Times.

      Stay globally informed with exclusive story from New York Times.

      5Enjoy Complimentary Subscriptions From Top Brands

      Docubay Subscription

      Docubay Subscription

      Stream new documentaries from all across the world every day.

      Stories you might be interested in

        Leave a Reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *