Drought

As Pakistan grapples with climate change, population growth, and water stress, every stalled dam represents a missed opportunity for resilience.

The centre has sounded an alarm over the likely impact of El Niño on India's 2026 southwest monsoon, warning that 315 districts across 12 states could face significant rainfall deficits during the crucial kharif cropping season.

In a sobering assessment released this week, the United Nations has painted a complex portrait of Afghanistan under Taliban governance, where a dramatic increase in security incidents coincides with fragile stability, devastating cross-border violence with Pakistan, and a deepening humanitarian and human rights crisis.

For millions of Indians whose lives and livelihoods are tied to the rains, the coming weeks will be critical.

The report comes as India is in the grip of a escalating heat crisis and heatwaves are becoming more frequent, intense, and deadly, threatening lives, livelihoods, public health, agriculture, and economic productivity.

The combination of erratic rainfall and rising temperatures is expected to increase both drought and flood risks during the same season.

For Asia’s rice bowl, the coming months will be critical. Farmers, traders, and policymakers must prepare for a potentially volatile period that could test food security across the region.

While buffers exist, the interplay of El Niño with other climatic factors underscores the growing importance of climate adaptation in India’s agriculture-dependent economy.