New Delhi, June 22 -- It's an unusually tardy start for India's much-awaited south-west monsoon. The rain-laden current kicked off its India journey three days behind schedule in Keralam, and the delay has only worsened. Over 450 districts have got deficient rains so far, raising concern over farming, water supplies and the broader economy in an El Niño year. What is causing the delay, how unusual is it, and what could it mean if the shortfall persists? Mint explains.

An El Nino year typically brings weak rainfall activity in the tropical regions. After a delayed arrival in Kerala on 4 June, the progress is only getting only slower, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD). In India's commercial capital Mumbai, which is depe...