India’s southern coast is expected to receive monsoon rains on May 27, 2025, which is five days earlier than usual, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This marks the earliest monsoon arrival in at least five years, offering a positive outlook for agriculture and food security.
The monsoon contributes nearly 70% of India’s annual rainfall, vital for the $4 trillion economy and especially crucial for the half of India’s farmland that lacks irrigation. These rains are essential for cultivating rice, corn, soybeans, cotton, and sugarcane.
The early onset is particularly reassuring amid current military tensions between India and Pakistan, reducing fears of disruptions to food supply.
Typically, monsoon rains reach Kerala around June 1, spreading across the country by mid-July. This year, Kerala may see rain by May 27, with a ±4-day margin of error, IMD said.
In 2024, the monsoon arrived on May 30, and rainfall was the highest since 2020, helping India recover from a drought in 2023.
The IMD has forecast above-average monsoon rains for 2025, marking the second consecutive year of good rainfall. IMD classifies average rainfall as 96% to 104% of the 50-year average of 87 cm during the June–September season.
This early monsoon will likely benefit Indian farmers, especially in their role as the world’s largest rice exporters, by allowing them to begin planting earlier.
