The Indian subcontinent is the region lying between about 60 and 100°E longitudes and the equator and 40°N latitudes. About one-quarter of the world's population live in this region, with an average population density of about 400 persons per square mile. This region has a belt of fold mountains, including the highest, the Himalayas, a chain of islands, large desert areas, evergreen tropical forests and low-lying plains fed by perennial rivers. It has every type of climate, soil and vegetation ranging from frozen tundra to dense rain forests. The region is endowed with natural resources, but is, however, economically poor and deficient in food and usable fresh water. The immediate problems are timely assessment of crops and their conditions such as drought, the spread of pests and diseases which if detected and remedied in time would result in the saving of crops. The desert areas also need continuous observation to help derive effective methods of arresting the spread of deserts. Because of the presence of perennial rivers there is good potential for having major irrigation and hydroelectric power projects, and studies over vast command and catchment areas are necessary. Floods in these rivers pose a big problem and flood plain mapping is of utmost importance. Forest wealth has been dwindling fast and proper assessment of present day land use and encroachment on forest land has to be detected and checked. Thus remote sensing has a great potential as an important tool for providing a mass of data which could then be used for solving the problems of backwardness of this region. These problems of the Indian subcontinent and how remote sensing can help is discussed in detail.