State of Global Water Resources 2025

Why in News?

The State of Global Water Resources 2025 report published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that groundwater levels in India are declining persistently over several years. The assessment indicates that groundwater extraction is exceeding natural recharge in several regions, particularly in northern and north-western India. Globally, 34% of groundwater observation stations recorded below-normal to much-below-normal groundwater levels in 2025, compared with 25% in 2024. The report also noted that 2025 was one of the driest years for global rivers in more than three decades, while northern India experienced below-normal terrestrial water storage.

About Groundwater Decline

Groundwater is replenished mainly through the infiltration of rainfall and surface water into underground aquifers. When extraction for irrigation, domestic consumption and other uses consistently exceeds recharge, groundwater levels decline and can create long-term water stress.

The WMO’s State of Global Water Resources report has been published for five years, enabling comparison of water-cycle parameters over time. Its longer-term observations indicate that persistent groundwater depletion is becoming an important component of the global water imbalance. In India, the problem is particularly significant in the north and north-west, where intensive agricultural irrigation and dependence on groundwater contribute to pressure on aquifers.

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