India has recorded its driest June in 12 years, and the fifth-driest since nationwide rainfall records began in 1901, according to the country's weather department. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also forecast below-normal rainfall for July, raising concerns over the progress of crop sowing this year. Government data shows the area planted with summer crops until the end of June is down by nearly 23% from the corresponding period in 2025, with rice sowing falling by a quarter.