A ‘Below Normal’ Monsoon? What El Niño Could Mean for India’s Economy

According to the weather department, there is a 66% probability of rainfall being either below normal or deficient this season, driven primarily by the expected development of El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific in the latter half of the monsoon

Updated on: 2 May 2026 10:06 am

Published at: 2 May 2026 10:06 am

Earths Hottest Day, Global warming

This year's record temperatures are influenced by an El Niño event. Photo: Ap

This year's record temperatures are influenced by an El Niño event. Photo: Ap

Summary

Summary of this article

India Meteorological Department forecasts monsoon at 92% LPA, signalling below-normal rainfall
El Niño raises 66–70% probability of weak monsoon this season
Rain-fed crops most vulnerable, with low irrigation coverage of 19–44%
Deficient monsoon could push food inflation up by 0.4 percentage points

Click here to read the full article

Tags

Click/Scan to Subscribe

qr-code

MOST POPULAR

WATCH

MORE FROM THE AUTHOR

PHOTOS

×