India's water security at risk, reveals new IIT study
A new IIT Gandhinagar study says India's water security could be in trouble.
Researchers found the Ganga Basin's streamflow dropped by 17% from 1980 to 2021, while the Indus Basin saw an 8% increase.
These shifts matter because they affect millions of people and how we grow our food.
Why the change?
The drop in Ganga's flow is mainly due to extensive groundwater pumping for irrigation, with rainfall in the Gangetic region decreasing by about 10%.
Meanwhile, climate changes like shifting monsoons and Western Disturbances boosted parts of the Indus, but some eastern rivers there actually shrank.
Impact on people
The Ganga's decline is the fastest seen in about 1,300 years, a decline that could affect millions, including the at least 600 million people whose lives the basin sustains.
Things got even more tense after India suspended the Indus Water Treaty in April 2025 following a terror attack.
What needs to be done?
Professor Vimal Mishra from IIT Gandhinagar says we need smarter water management and stricter rules on groundwater use before things get worse.
The message: if we want enough water for everyone in the future, urgent action can't wait.