This publication is part of the ‘Integrated Drought Management Tools and Guidelines Series’, compiled by the Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP). This Handbook of Drought Indicators and Indices is based on available literature and draws findings from relevant works wherever possible. The handbook addresses the needs of practitioners and policymakers. The publication is considered as a resource guide/material for practitioners and not an academic paper. This publication is a ‘living document’ and will be updated based on the experiences of its readers. The indicators and indices detailed in chapter 7 of the handbook are also available online at www. droughtmanagement.info. IDMP encourages water managers and related experts engaged in the management of drought around the globe to participate in the enrichment of this publication.