India's rivers are lifelines for over a billion people. Explore 15 major river systems — their courses, classification, and key facts about the Himalayan, Peninsular, and West-flowing rivers that shape the subcontinent.
Total Rivers
15
Major river systems mapped
Average Length
1,292km
Mean length across all rivers
Longest River
Indus
3,180 km — Himalayan
Shortest River
Sabarmati
371 km — West-flowing
Showing 15 of 15 rivers
One of the longest rivers in Asia; gave India its name. Most of its basin lies in Pakistan.
Most sacred river in Hinduism; supports over 400 million people in its basin.
Largest tributary of the Ganga; Delhi's primary water source but heavily polluted.
One of the largest rivers by discharge; creates the world's largest river island (Majuli).
Largest peninsular river in India; known as Dakshin Ganga (Southern Ganga).
Second largest peninsular river; heavily dammed for irrigation and hydropower.
Only major river in India that flows westward through a rift valley between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges.
One of only three west-flowing peninsular rivers (with Narmada and Mahi).
Known for the Hirakud Dam — one of the longest dams in the world; prone to floods in Odisha.
Sacred river of South India; subject of the historic Kaveri water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Major seasonal river in the rain-shadow region of the Deccan plateau.
Formed by the confluence of Sankh and Koel rivers; second largest river in Odisha after Mahanadi.
Only major ephemeral desert river in India; its water turns saline downstream.
Sabarmati Ashram on its banks was Mahatma Gandhi's residence; riverfront development in Ahmedabad is a major urban project.
One of the few west-flowing rivers in India; the Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam is a key irrigation project.
| River | Length (km) | Class | Origin | Mouth | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Indus | 3,180 | Himalayan | Mansarovar (Tibet) | Arabian Sea | Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir +2 |
Brahmaputra | 2,900 | Himalayan | Angsi Glacier (Tibet) | Bay of Bengal (Meghna Delta) | Arunachal Pradesh, Assam |
Ganga | 2,525 | Himalayan | Gangotri Glacier | Bay of Bengal | Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh +3 |
Godavari | 1,465 | Peninsular | Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra) | Bay of Bengal | Maharashtra, Telangana +3 |
Krishna | 1,400 | Peninsular | Mahabaleshwar | Bay of Bengal | Maharashtra, Karnataka +2 |
Yamuna | 1,376 | Himalayan | Yamunotri Glacier | Triveni Sangam (Prayagraj) | Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh +2 |
Narmada | 1,312 | Peninsular | Amarkantak (Madhya Pradesh) | Arabian Sea | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra +1 |
Mahanadi | 858 | Peninsular | Sihawa (Chhattisgarh) | Bay of Bengal | Chhattisgarh, Odisha |
Kaveri | 805 | Peninsular | Talakaveri (Karnataka) | Bay of Bengal | Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
Brahmani | 799 | Peninsular | Ranchi (Jharkhand) | Bay of Bengal | Jharkhand, Odisha |
Tapti | 724 | Peninsular | Betul (Madhya Pradesh) | Arabian Sea | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra +1 |
Penna | 597 | Peninsular | Nandi Hills (Karnataka) | Bay of Bengal | Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh |
Mahi | 580 | West-flowing | Dhar (Madhya Pradesh) | Gulf of Khambhat | Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan +1 |
Luni | 495 | Desert | Pushkar (Rajasthan) | Rann of Kutch | Rajasthan |
Sabarmati | 371 | West-flowing | Aravalli Hills (Rajasthan) | Gulf of Khambhat | Rajasthan, Gujarat |
Snow-fed rivers originating from the Himalayas, perennial flow
Rain-fed rivers originating from peninsular plateaus, seasonal flow
Ephemeral rivers in arid regions, flowing only during monsoon
Rivers flowing westward into the Arabian Sea, often through rift valleys
River data compiled from government sources (WRIS, CWC), Wikipedia, and geographical reference works. Course coordinates are approximate representations of major river alignments for mapping purposes. Lengths include total length; Indian portion noted where applicable. Last updated: 2026.