The late-monsoon rains are expected to benefit agricultural activities in East and Central India, where kharif crop sowing has reached 1,103.9 lakh hectares. However, uneven progress in sowing persists, with rice acreage lagging behind last year’s levels. Reservoir storage remains above the 10-year average in Central and Western India, but the South Peninsula continues to face challenges in both sowing progress and water storage. The strengthening El Niño could pose long-term risks to weather patterns and agricultural productivity across the country.