Monsoon rains hit the coast of India's southernmost state of Kerala on Thursday, three days later than usual, the weather office said, offering respite from a gruelling heatwave that had raised power demand to a record high.
The June-September monsoon rains, critical for economic growth in Asia's third-largest economy, usually begin to lash Kerala around June 1 before covering the entire country by mid-July, allowing farmers to plant crops such as rice, corn, cotton, soybeans and sugarcane.
The monsoon is essential to India's nearly $4 trillion economy, delivering almost 70% of the rainfall needed to water farms and replenish aquifers and reservoirs.
Last month, the India Meteorological Department forecast an El Nino-weakened monsoon in 2026 that will bring the lowest rainfall in 11 years, fuelling concerns over crops, food prices and growth.