Building water security in a rapidly drying India

India is grappling with severe water stress, evidenced by monsoon deficits, stressed river basins, and aquifer depletion, despite existing initiatives like the Jal Jeevan Mission. The article highlights challenges such as poor infrastructure upkeep, inadequate wastewater treatment, and high pollution. To achieve water security, it proposes four key actions: climate-proofing water systems through risk assessments, promoting water reuse for non-potable purposes, scaling up micro-irrigation with policy reforms for small farmers and crop diversification, and improving water data collection at the river basin level for better decision-making.