WMO Water Resources report 2025: India groundwater stress
Why in the news
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published State of Global Water Resources 2025, pointing to continuing groundwater depletion in India, mainly in the north-western belt.
Key facts
- An annual assessment of freshwater state, availability and variability; variables tracked grew from 3 to 15 over five years (groundwater, river discharge, terrestrial water storage, glaciers, soil moisture and more).
- Parts of India had persistent groundwater deficits in 2022-2025, with over-abstraction a key driver.
- Below-normal terrestrial storage persisted in 2025 in places including northern India.
| Indicator | 2025 finding |
|---|---|
| Groundwater stations below or much below normal | 34% (25% in 2024) |
| Terrestrial water storage | Declining steadily since 2014-16 |
| Global catchment area drier than normal | About 36%; among driest years for river flow in 35 years |
| Glacier mass loss | 408 +/-132 Gt, about 1.1 +/-0.4 mm sea-level rise |
| Glacier trend | Fourth straight year of net loss in every major glaciated region |
About WMO
- UN specialised agency, headquartered at Geneva, founded 1950.
India context
- India is the world’s largest groundwater user, more than the US and China combined.
- Groundwater supports about 60% of irrigation and 85% of rural drinking water.
- The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) grades areas as Safe, Semi-critical, Critical or Over-exploited.
- Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi have the most over-exploited blocks.
Exam angle
- WMO: Geneva, 1950, UN agency.
- Terrestrial water storage is tracked by satellite gravimetry such as GRACE.
- CGWB categories of groundwater assessment.