How Much Water to Drink a Day (ICMR-NIN Guideline)
General information: This page is general information, not medical advice. No dietitian or doctor has reviewed it, and it is not a substitute for their advice.
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Join the NYUS waitlistShort answer: ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 say a normal healthy person needs to drink about eight glasses (approximately two litres) of water including beverages per day, and that the need rises in very hot weather and during vigorous physical activity (Guideline 14, PDF p. 106). It gives no separate number for hot weather or exercise. By our arithmetic two litres over eight glasses is 250 ml a glass, or four 500 ml bottles. The same guidelines advise pregnant women to take over two litres of fluid a day (PDF p. 35). This is general information, not medical advice.
"How much water should I drink a day?" gets many answers online, most without a source. India's own reference is the Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 from the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, whose Guideline 14 is "Drink adequate quantity of water". This page says what that guideline states, turns it into glasses and bottles, adds the DGI's own caffeine and drink figures, and shows how much water common Indian foods hold from the IFCT 2017 food tables.
What ICMR-NIN says about water
- The amount: "A normal healthy person needs to drink about eight glasses (approximately two litres) of water including beverages per day" (Guideline 14, PDF p. 106).
- When more is needed: during very hot weather and while undertaking vigorous physical activity the requirement increases, as a considerable amount of water is lost through sweat. The guideline gives no number for this (PDF p. 106).
- Why: water accounts for 70% of body weight, is part of blood and other body fluids, and plays a key role in eliminating wastes and regulating body temperature (PDF p. 106).
- Pregnancy and lactation: a separate section advises plenty of fluids, over 2 litres a day, including water and other beverages (PDF p. 35).
- Which drinks: water and beverages such as tender coconut water or lemon water meet the fluid requirement; in hot weather it prefers buttermilk, tender coconut water and lemon water, and says synthetic soft drinks are not a substitute for water and should be avoided, as should alcohol (PDF pp. 106, 107 and 109).
The guideline is for a normal healthy person. It is not advice for a kidney, heart or other condition: if a doctor has set a fluid limit for you, follow that.
Glasses, litres and bottles
The DGI says "eight glasses (approximately two litres)" and does not define a glass. Dividing two litres by eight gives 250 ml a glass, which we use below (our assumption, our arithmetic).
| Glasses a day | Millilitres | Litres | 500 ml bottles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1500 | 1.5 | 3 |
| 8 (the DGI figure) | 2000 | 2 | 4 |
| 10 | 2500 | 2.5 | 5 |
| 12 | 3000 | 3 | 6 |
One way to spread eight glasses (our example, not from the DGI): two on waking, one mid-morning, one with lunch, two in the afternoon, one in the evening and one with dinner.
Tea and coffee: what the DGI says about the limit
The DGI advises moderation in tea and coffee so that caffeine does not exceed the tolerable limit it gives, 300 mg a day, and says tea and coffee should be avoided at least one hour before and after meals because tannin interferes with iron absorption (PDF p. 108). Using its caffeine figures for a 150 ml cup:
| 150 ml cup (caffeine per the DGI) | Caffeine per cup | Cups a day to reach 300 mg |
|---|---|---|
| Brewed coffee | 80 to 120 mg | 2.5 to 3.8 |
| Instant coffee | 50 to 65 mg | 4.6 to 6 |
| Tea | 30 to 65 mg | 4.6 to 10 |
Cups to 300 mg is our arithmetic (300 divided by the caffeine per cup), shown at the low and high ends of each range. It counts caffeine only, not fluid.
Other drinks the DGI mentions
- Tender coconut water: "a good hydrating beverage" with 15 kcal per 100 ml, to be avoided by people prone to hyperkalemia (in kidney and heart diseases) (PDF p. 106). IFCT 2017 K002 gives 95.77 g of water and 64 kJ (15.3 kcal) per 100 g, which agrees. See our coconut water guide.
- Fruit juice: whole fruit is preferred; fresh juice without added sugar should come from not more than 100 to 150 g of fruit and be taken occasionally (PDF pp. 107-108).
- Sugarcane juice: high in sugar at 13 to 15 g per 100 ml, so its consumption should be minimized (PDF p. 108). In a 250 ml glass that is 32.5 to 37.5 g of sugar (our arithmetic).
- Milk: a well-accepted wholesome food and beverage; use pasteurized or boiled milk for safety (PDF pp. 106-107).
Water in food: IFCT 2017
IFCT 2017 Table 1 lists the moisture (water) of each food in grams per 100 g of edible portion. The DGI's figure is for water including beverages and does not say whether the water in food counts towards it, so this table is context, not a way to drink less. Taking 1 g of water as about 1 ml, the 150 g portion (our assumed weight) of watermelon holds about 143 ml.
| IFCT 2017 food (per 100 g edible portion) | Code, PDF page | Water per 100 g | Water in 150 g (our assumed portion) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water melon, pale green (Citrullus vulgaris) | E066, p. 52 | 95.33 g | about 143 g |
| Cucumber, green, elongate (Cucumis sativus) | D043, p. 47 | 92.96 g | about 139.4 g |
| Tomato, ripe, local (Lycopersicon esculentum) | D076, p. 49 | 93.62 g | about 140.4 g |
| Musk melon, orange flesh (Cucumis melon) | E045, p. 51 | 92.97 g | about 139.5 g |
| Papaya, ripe (Carica papaya) | E049, p. 51 | 91.47 g | about 137.2 g |
| Orange, pulp (Citrus aurantium) | E047, p. 51 | 89.61 g | about 134.4 g |
| Carrot, orange (Daucus carota) | F002, p. 52 | 87.69 g | about 131.5 g |
| Guava, white flesh (Psidium guajava) | E028, p. 50 | 83.79 g | about 125.7 g |
| Milk, whole, Cow | L002, p. 57 | 86.64 g | - |
| Coconut Water (Cocos nucifera) | K002, p. 56 | 95.77 g | - |
Is your water safe?
The DGI says water is safe if it is free of disease-causing agents and harmful chemicals such as pesticides, heavy metals, nitrates, arsenic and excess fluoride, and that a fluoride concentration of 1 to 1.5 mg per litre is generally considered safe. Straining and boiling the water for 10 to 15 minutes kills disease-causing organisms, but boiling does not remove chemical impurities; tablets each containing 0.5 g of chlorine can disinfect 20 litres of water (PDF p. 106).
For food around the drinks, our guides on chai and filter coffee and cans, bottles and glasses give the calories per cup.
Where NYUS fits (our app)
We make NYUS, so read this section as ours. NYUS is an AI fitness and nutrition coach in early access on Android, with no ads and no data selling. It builds a workout and diet plan around your goal, logs your meals against 8,900+ foods with macros, and a weekly check-in adjusts your calories, macros and step goal once enough is logged. It does not change your training plan automatically. This page's water figures are not built into the app, and nothing here replaces advice from your doctor.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
How much water should I drink a day in India?
ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 (Guideline 14, PDF p. 106) say a normal healthy person needs to drink about eight glasses (approximately two litres) of water including beverages per day, and that this need rises in very hot weather and during vigorous physical activity. It gives no separate number for hot weather or exercise. This is general information, not medical advice.
How much water per day for men, women or by age?
The DGI's Guideline 14 gives one figure, about eight glasses (approximately two litres) including beverages, for a normal healthy person; it does not give separate figures for men, women or age groups. For pregnant and lactating women a separate section advises over two litres of fluid a day (PDF p. 35). For children, older people or anyone with a medical condition, ask a doctor or dietitian. This is general information, not medical advice.
How much water per day to lose weight?
The DGI gives no water target for weight loss. Its guidance on drinks is to drink adequate water, to prefer buttermilk, tender coconut water, lemon water and whole fruit to synthetic soft drinks and juices with added sugar, and to avoid alcohol (PDF pp. 107 and 109). Sugarcane juice has 13 to 15 g of sugar per 100 ml, which is 32.5 to 37.5 g in a 250 ml glass (our arithmetic). This is general information, not medical advice.
Is 3 litres of water a day too much?
The DGI gives about two litres a day, including beverages, for a normal healthy person and says the need rises in very hot weather and with vigorous activity; it does not set an upper limit or call 3 litres too much or too little. If you have a kidney or heart condition, or a doctor has set a fluid limit for you, follow that advice. This is general information, not medical advice.
How many glasses of water should I drink a day?
Eight glasses, which the DGI equates to approximately two litres including beverages. That is 250 ml a glass by our arithmetic (2,000 ml / 8); the DGI does not define the size of a glass. In 500 ml bottles it is four bottles. This is general information, not medical advice.
Do tea, coffee and milk count towards my water?
The DGI's figure is for water including beverages, and its Guideline 14 names water, tender coconut water, lemon water, buttermilk and milk among the drinks it discusses. For tea and coffee it advises moderation so that caffeine does not exceed 300 mg a day; by its own figures (150 ml of brewed coffee has 80 to 120 mg of caffeine, tea 30 to 65 mg) that is 2.5 to 3.8 cups of brewed coffee or 4.6 to 10 cups of tea (our arithmetic: 300 / mg per cup). It also advises avoiding tea and coffee for at least one hour before and after meals. This is general information, not medical advice.
Does the water in food and fruit count towards my water?
The DGI does not say whether the water in food counts towards its two-litre figure. IFCT 2017 lists the water in foods per 100 g edible portion, for example watermelon (pale green, E066) 95.33 g, cucumber (D043) 92.96 g, tomato (D076) 93.62 g and orange pulp (E047) 89.61 g, so 150 g of watermelon holds about 143 g of water (our arithmetic: 95.33 x 150 / 100). The DGI also prefers whole fruit to juice. This is general information, not medical advice.
Is tender coconut water good for hydration?
The DGI calls tender coconut water a good hydrating beverage that provides 15 kcal per 100 ml, and says people prone to hyperkalemia (in kidney and heart diseases) should avoid it (PDF p. 106). IFCT 2017 (K002, PDF p. 56) lists 95.77 g of water and 64 kJ (15.3 kcal, our conversion at 4.184 kJ per kcal) per 100 g, which agrees. This is general information, not medical advice.
Sources
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024, read from the PDF text on 4 November 2026: Guideline 14 "Drink adequate quantity of water" (PDF pp. 106 to 109; printed pages 89 to 92) for the water, drinks, caffeine, sugarcane juice, fluoride and water-safety statements, and PDF p. 35 for the pregnancy and lactation advice (over 2 litres of fluid a day).
- Longvah T. et al., Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-NIN, Table 1, moisture (water, g per 100 g edible portion), mean of the regions shown, read from the PDF text 4 November 2026: E066 Water melon, pale green (PDF p. 52, 95.33 g); D043 Cucumber, green, elongate (PDF p. 47, 92.96 g); D076 Tomato, ripe, local (PDF p. 49, 93.62 g); E045 Musk melon, orange flesh (PDF p. 51, 92.97 g); E049 Papaya, ripe (PDF p. 51, 91.47 g); E047 Orange, pulp (PDF p. 51, 89.61 g); F002 Carrot, orange (PDF p. 52, 87.69 g); E028 Guava, white flesh (PDF p. 50, 83.79 g); L002 Milk, whole, Cow (PDF p. 57, 86.64 g); K002 Coconut Water (PDF p. 56, 95.77 g).
- nyus.in, the NYUS landing page, for the statements in the NYUS section and the trial and price line.
The glass size of 250 ml, the glasses/litres/bottles grid, the 150 g portions and the water in them, the cups of coffee or tea to reach 300 mg of caffeine, the sugar in a 250 ml glass of sugarcane juice, the kJ to kcal conversion and the example schedule are NYUS's own arithmetic, assumption or opinion, not figures from the DGI or IFCT. The DGI gives no millilitre or glass size and no figure for hot weather or exercise. No USDA FoodData Central record and no Compendium row is used on this page.