Heat Waves in India : India has seen climate disruptions on its soil for the last couple of years, but things got worse in 2025. With an average temperature of over 22°C, February 2025 was the warmest for the last 125 years at an Indian location-the month which looked like a farewell to winter now felt like a precursor to summer along the way to searing heat waves.
In unison, February 2025 was the third warmest February globally, too, with the average ERA5 surface air temperature clocking in at 13.36 °C, being 0.63 °C above the 1991-2020 average. The reason behind these extremes? Climate change-not just an abstract idea but an undeniable reality carving the essence of life in the subcontinent.
India’s Hottest February: A Sign of Things to Come
The India Meteorological Department stated that February 2025 surpassed all known records as the warmest month since the year 1901. Minimum temperatures throughout the country exceeded 15°C for the first time, while daytime temperatures were abnormally high, particularly across northwest and central India.
Equally disturbing was the fact that it was not just hot-it was dry. Rainfall was below normal by more than 59%, making February one of the driest months in over a century. Lack of precipitation across the southern peninsula and especially in central India dried already stressed farmlands and lowered the water table across states. (source)
Early April Heat waves: The Warning Bells Are Blazing
In April, the situation has worsened. More than 20 Indian cities recorded temperature above 42 °C in early April, when most regions were still expecting peak summer. Delhi recorded 40.2 °C; parts of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Telangana crossed the 43 °C mark.(source)
In Mumbai, the tar on roads literally melted under extreme heat waves , and the sight was a stark reminder of how unprepared urban infrastructure is for extreme conditions.
The IMD has put several states in the north, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, on alert, asking citizens to stay indoors and take precautions against the heat waves during midday.(source)
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Climate Change: The Main Culprit Behind the Heat waves
There really isn’t any other way to put it: climate change is the ultimate cause of this alarming rise in temperature. Human-induced warming has not just worsened the seasonal shifts but is also increasing the frequency, duration, and intensity of heat waves across the subcontinent.
Warming is a global phenomenon; according to the World Meteorological Organization, 2024 was the hottest year on record, with average global temperature being 1.6°C above pre-industrial levels. The Indian climate is deeply intertwined with this global whirlpool of change.
The unavailability of western disturbances, which are crucial weather systems that provide winter rain and regulate temperatures in northern India, only aggravated the warming from a local scale. In their absence, the region remained dry and heated up fast under the full glare of the sun.
In layman terms, we are currently witnessing the effects of fast planetary warming.
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Drought Conditions Exacerbate the Situation
To add on, it was also one of the driest months of the past 125 years and saw a deficit of 59% rainfall during the winter season (January-February). Central India was hit hardest by drought, with an 89.3% deficit in rainfall, followed by Northwest India with 64%. Insufficient rainfall not only raised the temperature but also presented serious blows to agriculture and water resource management.(source)
Who’s at Risk? Everyone — But Some More Than Others
Globally, heat waves hit everyone, but some sections – like the old and young – are more susceptible than others.
The aged and the young ones are highly susceptible to heat stroke and dehydration.
Daily-wage workers, construction laborers, and those working outdoors suffer not only from physical exposure, but also from lost income if the weather becomes too harsh to work.
Farmers are already facing unpredictability with rainfall; now, there is crop failure, water scarcity and heat-stressed livestock for them.
As per the reports of the year 2024, not less than 143 had died, and more than 42,000 had suffered heat stroke due to heat-related illnesses, with one of the worst-hit states being Uttar Pradesh.(source)
Economic Fallout: More Than Just a Temperature Rise
The repercussions on the economy are catastrophic. A Lancet report states that India has lost $141 billion in labor productivity in the year 2023 due solely to extreme heat waves. Out of this, a colossal $71.9 billion loss came from the agricultural sector. In a country where more than 40 percent of the population depends on agriculture, this is more than mere statistics; this is a matter of survival.
Apart from all this, the demand for cooling systems rises; health services are burdened, while infrastructure is damaged, as we saw in Mumbai this April.
Government Response: Alerts Are Not Enough
In its favor, the IMD and such agencies have given timely warnings, with state governments keen to adapt. Some things being done are:
Modification of schools and offices hours.
Providing cooling shelters in urban slums.
Public awareness campaigns on hydration and symptoms of heat stroke.
However, while all of these are vital in the short-term, they do not deal with the long-term problem of reducing emissions and the transformation of urban design, agriculture, and energy usage in a warming country such as India.
What Needs to Happen Now?
This impossible crisis can be faced by India on multiple fronts:
- Make Infrastructure Climate-Resilient
Urban spaces need to be redesigned with green covering, reflective-surfacing, and water drainage systems. Adapting building materials to withstand heat waves is a must. Cities like Ahmedabad have begun implementing Heat Waves Action Plans, these must replicate within the country. - Transitioning to Renewable Energy
India is on the right track but must move at a faster pace. Scaling up solar and wind energy replacement of fossil fuels will cut the emissions and consequently reduce the urban heat waves island effect whose cause includes these conventional power plants. - Water Management
In India, droughts and heat waves usually go hand in hand. The country should, therefore, invest in rainwater harvesting, smart irrigation, and protection of water bodies, ensuring a sustainable way out. - Agricultural Retraining
Farmers will need access to heat-resilient crops, government assistance for micro-irrigation, and weather-based insurance. The crop calendars will need to change to suit the new climatic patterns. - Global Action
India alone cannot cool the planet. It is the global community, therefore, which needs to coordinate action in the reduction of emissions. Yet, as one of the most vulnerable countries, India has to take the lead example.
Can India Take the Heat waves?
The long answer is yes, but with speed and intention.
Already, the population, economy, and ecosystems of India are under stress-climate science tells us that this is just the beginning unless prompt action is taken. Climate change has ceased to be a future issue because it is already here and is burning cities, melting roads, drying out agriculture, and weighing heavily on livelihoods.
Another question arises-whether India can live through another summer-or whether it can flourish in a climate-changed world.
