India has become the world's largest rice producer, surpassing China and exporting over 20 million metric tons. However, this achievement is overshadowed by a deepening water crisis in key agricultural states like Punjab and Haryana. Farmers report borewells must go significantly deeper, increasing costs. Experts and data indicate that government subsidies for rice cultivation and water extraction encourage the continued growth of water-intensive crops, exacerbating groundwater depletion despite the country's water stress.