India has become the world's largest rice producer, surpassing China, agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Thursday, as the government unveiled a nationwide contingency plan ahead of the crucial kharif sowing season amid fears of a weak monsoon and increasing climate risks. Rice production is estimated at a record 154.02 mt in the 2025-26 crop year, up from 150.18 mt a year earlier, according to the third advance estimates released by the agriculture ministry.