Goa, July 3 -- Large parts of India have entered July under worsening drought conditions, with fresh data indicating that moisture stress has expanded significantly compared to the same period last year. The development has raised concerns for farmers as the country enters the crucial kharif sowing season, which relies heavily on timely monsoon rainfall.

According to data released by the Water and Climate Lab at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, drought conditions intensified steadily throughout June 2026. A comparison between the final week of June in 2025 and 2026 shows that areas experiencing moderate, severe and extreme drought have increased across several regions of the country.

Unlike last year, when drought c...