India’s monsoon is the country’s true finance minister. It determines food production, water availability, livelihoods and economic growth. In 2026, India faces the combined challenge of a strong El Niño and a warming climate, raising concerns about below average rainfall and increasing weather extremes.
As weather systems become more volatile, the need to value every drop of rain and strengthen rainwater harvesting has never been greater. Understanding the monsoon is essential to understanding India’s future.