The changing mood of the weather is no longer limited to normal seasonal changes; it has become a serious challenge for India's economy, agriculture, public health, and ecological balance. In some places, extreme heat is proving fatal, while in others, heavy rainfall in just a few hours causes waterlogging in cities. Droughts are turning fields barren, while floods destroy months of farmers' hard work. This raises the question: why is the weather, which has been the basis of Indian civilization and agricultural system for centuries, becoming so unpredictable?
India's traditional seasonal system had specific importance for summer, monsoon, autumn, winter, late winter, and spring. Farmers used to plan their farming based on weather signs, such as clouds, winds, and temperature. The flow of rivers, the greenery of forests, and the snow on the Himalayas were symbols of nature's harmony, but rising temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, and the increasing threat of extreme weather events have cast serious doubt on this balance. Its effects are being seen from the Himalayas to the coastlines.
The severity of the climate crisis is also evident from recent meteorological data. According to the Climate India 2025 report by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down To Earth, an extreme weather event was recorded in 99 percent of India's days during the first nine months of 2025. During this period, reports of loss of life and crop damage due to these events were also received. To understand the true significance of this figure, it is necessary to analyze the definition of the events, the affected areas, and the losses incurred.
Climate change is increasing the risk of cyclones, excessive rainfall, and sea-level rise, which is having a particular impact on India's coastal communities. Indian agriculture is largely dependent on the monsoon. Delayed arrival of rain, prolonged drought, or excessive rainfall in a short period creates a major crisis for farmers. Rising heat can reduce the yield of crops like wheat, while unseasonal rains and hailstorms damage ready crops. The intensity of these impacts depends on the crop, region, soil, and irrigation availability.
Crop failure reduces farmers' income, making it difficult to repay loans and affecting the preparation for the next crop. Production decline can increase food prices, the burden of which falls most heavily on poor families. Thus, the climate crisis affects not only agriculture but also food security and the rural economy. To tackle this challenge, promoting climate-resilient agriculture is essential. This includes focusing on drought-resistant crops, seeds adapted to local conditions, micro-irrigation, crop diversification, and soil conservation. Farmers should be provided with timely local weather forecasts and agricultural advice. Additionally, ensuring effective crop insurance, transparent damage assessment, and prompt compensation to enable farmers to resume farming after natural disasters is crucial.
A major anomaly of the climate crisis is that while floods bring destruction, many areas struggle for drinking and irrigation water. River swelling in the plains of North India, excessive rainfall in the Northeast, and landslides in the Himalayan regions disrupt life. Conversely, falling groundwater levels in arid and semi-arid regions pose a threat to agricultural and domestic needs. However, it is not appropriate to attribute every flood or drought solely to climate change. Illegal encroachment on river floodplains, deforestation, unplanned construction, inadequate drainage, and excessive groundwater exploitation can turn natural risks into major disasters. Encroachment on ponds and lakes in cities and blockage of natural drainage paths can also cause severe waterlogging even with above-average rainfall.
Water management cannot be limited only to large dams and new projects. The restoration of ponds and lakes, rainwater harvesting, conservation of catchment areas, and protection of the natural flow of rivers are equally important. Controlling groundwater use according to local availability and promoting water reuse are also necessary. Water should be managed wisely as a shared natural resource rather than merely a commodity for consumption. The impact of climate change is not limited to humans and agriculture; changing patterns of temperature and rainfall can affect the life cycles of plants, birds, insects, and wildlife. Changes in flowering times of plants, alterations in bird migration patterns, and shrinking of natural habitats are serious indicators for ecological balance. Neelakurinji found in the Western Ghats is a prime example of this. Some main species of this plant are known to bloom collectively at intervals of about 12 years. After the major blooming in 2018, the next major blooming period is estimated to be around 2030. However, long-term scientific evidence is required to consider a change in a specific blooming cycle as a definite result of climate change.
Nevertheless, monitoring such natural cycles is extremely important. Plant life cy
