India stands at a critical turning point in its climate journey, grappling with an unprecedented rise in extreme weather events that threaten both lives and ecosystems. From cyclones and cloudbursts to flash floods and landslides, what were once rare occurrences have now become an alarming norm a sign of deep climatic disruption.
Meteorological data reveal that the North Indian Ocean, including the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, has warmed by up to 1.2°C over the past century, with the Arabian Sea heating nearly twice as fast as the global average. This warming has intensified the frequency and strength of cyclones, altering monsoon behavior and expanding India’s vulnerability across regions.
Between 2023 and 2025, India witnessed a series of devastating climate disasters from Cyclone Biparjoy displacing over 100,000 people in Gujarat and Rajasthan to the Wayanad landslides that killed more than 420 people. The Himalayan region suffered repeated cloudbursts and flash floods, while Cyclone Shakti in 2025 brought floods to Maharashtra’s traditionally drought-prone Marathwada. These events underline a worrying truth: no region in India is immune anymore.
At the heart of these shifts lie two invisible yet powerful phenomena India’s “flying rivers.” These atmospheric rivers transport vast amounts of moisture from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, sustaining rainfall across the subcontinent. When these moisture-laden winds collide with the cold Himalayan air, they trigger intense cloud formation. The resulting cloudbursts can release enormous volumes of rain in minutes, overwhelming the land’s absorption capacity and causing deadly floods.
However, the stability of these flying rivers depends heavily on India’s forests. Dense forest cover supports these systems by recycling rainfall through evapotranspiration sending moisture back into the air and regulating local climate. Forest loss, on the other hand, disrupts this cycle. Deforestation, land-use change, and unplanned urbanization reduce moisture recycling, alter wind patterns, and weaken the monsoon’s reliability.
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology reports a 52% increase in Arabian Sea cyclones over four decades, while studies show a threefold rise in monsoon extremes since 1950. Seven of the ten deadliest floods in India between 1985 and 2020 were directly linked to these atmospheric rivers.
Despite improvements in early warning systems, accurate forecasts are only possible three days in advance often too short for effective evacuation in remote or mountainous areas. India must therefore move beyond reactive disaster response and toward proactive, hyperlocal climate action plans, integrating topography, demography, and local infrastructure into early warning systems.
The way forward lies in nature-based climate solutions. Restoring forests, protecting watersheds, and reversing encroachments can stabilize flying rivers, reduce the risk of floods, and secure long-term water and food security. The Forest Survey of India’s latest reports already warn of qualitative degradation in forest health a red flag that demands immediate attention.
India’s climate resilience now depends on recognizing that forests are not just carbon sinks they are climate regulators. Strengthening the forestry sector, empowering the National Disaster Management Authority, and coordinating across ministries and neighboring nations are essential steps.
Only through an integrated approach one that sees forests, atmosphere, and people as parts of a single ecological system can India safeguard its future against the cascading threats of climate change.