In India, wetlands are distributed in all the biogeographic regions and exhibit significant ecological diversity, primarily because of the variability in climate, geology, habitat and topography.

Lake Oussudu, which is the largest wetland in the Union Territory of Pondicherry, is one of the most important bird sanctuaries in India. Apart from being an important water resource and a heritage site, Oussudu watershed also caters to the other needs of the people living around the lake; notably fishing, grazing of the domestic livestock and harvesting of reeds.

Poor management of irrigation water and inadequate drainage system in plains have made vast tracts of agricultural land unproductive due to waterlogging and high moisture content. Integrated development of such waterlogged ecosystem has been taken up under NWDPRA (National Watershed Develpoment Project for Rainfed Areas) with the twin objectives of sustainable production of food, fruit, fuel and bio-mass and restoration of ecological balances with the watershed.

The Kabartal wetland situated in the upper Indo-Gangetic flood plains in northern India is significant because of its hydrological and ecological services, and the socio-economic and cultural values that it represents. Despite being designated as a wildlife sanctuary, this wetland is under threat from anthropogenic pressures.

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Freshwater basins are vulnerable to human-induced change for a number of reasons. The change detection study of Ansupa lake, Orissa was carried out by using multi-temporal satellite data clearly indicates the decrease in wetland area. Due to high anthropogenic pressure, the wetland is shrinking day-by-day.