Ten years (1982–1991) of upper air and ocean surface observations over the Indian Ocean from Sagar Kanya and Monex–79 data have been used to examine the relationship between the precipitable water (W) and surface level humidity (Q) on an instantaneous scale. Our analysis of Q and W over the Indian Ocean shows that Q is correlated with Won an instantaneous scale with r=O·44, which is a statistically significant correlation. A regression between Q and W has been fitted and it has been found that a fifth order polynomial yields a lowest root-mean-square (rms) error of I-4gkg- 1 when compared with observed Q using an independent observation. The validity of earlier derived global relation between Q and W has been examined over the Indian Ocean. It has been found that Liu's global Q-W relation gave a large rms error of 4·1 gkg-1when compared with the observed instantaneous Q values over the Indian Ocean. The usefulness of the above derived Q-W relation and an earlier derived relation between the monthly mean Q and W has been examined for the estimation of latent heat fluxes (LHF) over the Indian Ocean using an independent observation. The LHF estimated from the bulk aerodynamic method using all quantities available from ship observations, called the direct method (M1), has been compared with the LHF computed by using a derived Q-W relation (M2). The rms error between MI versus M2 is found to be 56 Wm-2. The LHF estimated by Liu's Q -W relation, when compared with MI gave an rms error of 155Wm-2, which is suggestive of its unsuitability for the estimation of LHF over the Indian Ocean on an instantaneous basis. The difference between the sea surface humidity (Q,) and surface level humidity (Q) has been parametrized in terms of sea surface temperature (SST) and W, both obtainable from satellite sensors. This relation has then been used to compute LHF (M3) and was compared with MI, where it was found that M1 versus M3 gave an rms error of 58Wm-2. Thus, this study indicates that methods M2 and M3 are found to be more consistent and accurate in nature, and also suggests that it can be further applied to the LHF estimation using satellite based microwave/IR measurements for Wand SST on an instantaneous basis.