The Himalayas play a crucial role in determining India’s climate. They act as a natural barrier to the monsoon winds coming from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. As the winds move up the Himalayas, they cool down and form clouds. These clouds then shed their moisture in the form of rain and snow. The Himalayas also prevent cold winds from central Asia from entering the subcontinent. Due to this India faces relatively milder winters than central Asia.
The Great Plains of North India are one of the most fertile plains in the world. This is because a huge quantity of silt is carried down by the Himalayan Rivers, which is deposited in these plains making the soil rich and productive.
The Himalayas influence the path of the subtropical jet stream flowing in the region. It splits the jet stream and this plays an important role in bringing the monsoons to India. If the Himalayas did not exist, India would be a desert and its winters would be very severe.
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