1972: the El Niño year India had one of its worst monsoons

In 1972 India had one of the weakest monsoons in its records, during a moderate El Niño (IMD's El Niño and monsoon table).

How bad? IMD Pune's drought climatology report ranks the country's worst droughts by rainfall shortfall. The top five are 1877 (33% below normal), 1899 (29%), 1918 (25%), 1972 (nearly 24%) and 2002 (nearly 19%). That report uses an older normal. IMD's current El Niño table, which uses today's long-period average, gives 1972 a departure of −22.3%. Both put it among India's worst monsoons.

How widespread? The same report says 39% of India's area was affected by drought in 1972. IMD counts a year as a country-wide drought when more than 20% of the area is affected.

The El Niño link. IMD's report notes that "the wide-spread drought the world experienced in 1972, 1982, 1987" has been attributed to El Niño. But El Niño does not always mean drought: in 1997, a strong El Niño, India's monsoon was normal (+0.2%).

Why it matters in 2026. IMD rates this year's El Niño as strong, and the 2026 monsoon ended at 87% of the long-period average. Past years like 1972 show why water and crop planning matter even after the rains end.

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